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Mental health leaders gather to confront despair and injustice
Oct 19, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mental health leaders gather to confront despair and injustice
Toronto (ONTARIO) October 20, 2020 – Today, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) hosts its fifth annual Mental Health for All Conference (#MH4A), held virtually for the first time. This unique, national gathering brings together over 800 mental health leaders, providers, front-line workers, researchers, funders, policy makers and people with lived experience of mental illness. The theme, Hope in an age of uncertainty, explores how forces like the global pandemic, climate change and social division can galvanize fear—and also underscore the importance of hope.
“As a result of COVID-19, we have seen the gaping holes in our social safety net and in our mental health system,” says Margaret Eaton, national CEO, CMHA. “My hope now is that we will not go back to normal, but imagine an alternative world that confronts despair and injustice and improves how we protect and deliver mental health care across Canada.”
The conference features virtual keynotes, panels and over 20 workshop sessions, including:
- Opening Remarks: The Honourable Patti Hajdu, Minister of Health, 10:40 AM
- Keynote: Redefining Resilience, Rumeet Billan, PhD, 10:45 AM
- A1: Mental Health Needs of Justice-Involved People, 11:40 AM
- Youth Perspectives, Elana Ludman, Seren Friskie, Siciida Ibrahim, Ally Salama, 1:30 PM
- B7: Supporting Lived Experiences w Cannabis through Community Based Research, 2:40 PM
- C4: Getting and Giving: Peer Support and the Cultivation of Hope, 3:50 PM
- Keynote: Rising to the Challenge of COVID-19 to Build Hope for Better Mental Health, Dr. Kwame McKenzie, 5:00 PM
The virtual event is made possible thanks to generous support from the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the Co-operators, AbilitiCBT by Morneau Shepell, SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health and CHEO. For complete details, please visit conference.cmha.ca.
About the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) – Founded in 1918, CMHA is the most established, most extensive community mental health organization in Canada. Through a presence in more than 330 communities across every province and one territory, CMHA provides advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience, and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive. Visit www.cmha.ca
To secure a media pass or interview contact: Katherine Janson | National Director of Communications | [email protected]