May 3, 2016 (Ottawa, ON) – HealthCareCAN congratulates Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores) for being chosen as one of the 2016 Champions of Mental Health in the workplace mental health category by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH). Ontario Shores, along with six other ‘Champions’ will be honoured tonight in Ottawa at the 14th annual Champions of Mental Health Awards Gala. Each year, CAMIMH nominates individuals and organizations whose outstanding contributions have advanced the mental health agenda in Canada in the past year.
“As a teaching hospital specializing in providing a full range of services for those struggling with complex or severe mental illness, Ontario Shores is leading by example by also supporting the mental and physical well-being of their employees who carry out this important work each and every day ”, said Bill Tholl, President and CEO of HealthCareCAN. “We are fortunate to collaborate with Ontario Shores in the work we are doing with the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) around the implementation of the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the Standard), which they were among the first to adopt in 2013. These kinds of collaborations are essential in finding ways to improve not only patient services but putting in place safeguards to ensure mental wellness of the employees that deliver these services.”
One in five people will experience a mental health problem or illness in any given year. One in three disability claims in Canada is related to mental illness, and the numbers are growing. Healthcare workers are 1.5 times more likely to be off work due to illness or disability than people in all other sectors. Given these alarming statistics, HealthCareCAN has quickly identified this issue as one of its priorities. Over the last two years, HealthCareCAN, in partnership with the MHCC, has conducted roundtables with healthcare leaders across the country and undertaken targeted research to build the evidence around psychological health and safety in healthcare settings. The findings of this research will be unveiled on June 6th at the National Health Leadership Conference in Ottawa.
HealthCareCAN is the national voice of healthcare organizations and hospitals across Canada. We foster informed and continuous, results-oriented discovery and innovation across the continuum of healthcare. We act with others to enhance the health of the people of Canada; to build the capability for high quality care; and to help ensure value for money in publicly financed, healthcare programs. Learn more about our organization at www.healthcarecan.ca. Follow us on Twitter: @HealthCareCAN or Facebook: healthcarecan.soinssantecan.
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Media contact:
Lucie Boileau, Director of Communications, Marketing and Government Relations
lboileau@healthcarecan.ca
855-236-0213/613-241-8005 x 205
Cell: 613-462-5604