President’s Message

Dear Members: ver the past year, the Division Board of Directors, working in collaboration with staff and volunteer Oleaders across Alberta, developed a “Strategic Plan” entitled “Maintaining the Momentum.” This is not a static report and the name was chosen with purpose. In the year 2005 Alberta will celebrate its 100th Anniversary. In that same year, CMHA will celebrate 50 years of social action, education and innovative services to Albertans. We should be proud of our achievements, but humbled by how much more needs to be done. During my term as President we have made significant gains by working together. I am most pleased by the progress we have made with regard to: • Convincing government officials to make mental health a priority • Influencing Alberta’s new mental health plan • Maintaining an Alliance of professionals, consumers and advocates • Diverting ill people from the criminal justice system • Promoting new housing options • Protecting sensitive health records • Developing innovative suicide prevention services And much, much more. As we move into Alberta’s second century, we have new promise. Changing attitudes and new services are on the horizon. But we are also facing new government leadership, new CMHA leadership and new roles for local communities who will have increasing responsibility for providing crucial services. These changes will provide us with opportunity. Change also carries risk. We must ensure that we “maintain the momentum.” I would like to thank all of the outstanding Board Members, Volunteers and CMHA Staff with whom I have worked during my years as President. You are the reason why our organization continues to be so effective. In particular, I want to express appreciation to Ron LaJeunesse, our retiring Executive Director, for his many years of distinguished service and to wish him “all the best” in his retirement. He has been a major factor in the Alberta Division’s ongoing success. It has been a pleasure serving as your President and Chair. Bob Campbell

Executive Director’s Message

I will be “retiring” this year, or at least changing focus after more than twenty-two years in the position. This is my first annual report. It is a task that in the normal course of events I believe to be more appropriate to the President. But my career with CMHA has been filled with opportunities and I thank President Campbell for providing me with yet another; this opportunity to say thanks and farewell. My thanks for : • Providing the resources to help improve a mental health system that traditionally served so many so poorly • Patience while I worked to understand and learn from those who are ill and who really know best what they need • Thoughtful direction from passionate and knowledgeable Board members • The support of the most skilled and dedicated of staff • Opportunities to travel the world and see so-called “best practice” first hand • The freedom to pursue leaves, secondments and sabbaticals – more than six years of them • Allowing public service in education and policing, volunteerism and writing • Workplace accommodations following a serious injury • The most meaningful work anyone could hope for, and • Recognition for what we have achieved collectively. This organization has lived its enlightened philosophy with me and I will be forever grateful. I will also be indebted to my family, who accepted and supported my obsession with that work. While our achievements have been more modest than I would have hoped for, I think we have made a difference and I leave with pride, satisfaction and hope for the future. Thank you all.

Ron LaJeunesse 1 About Us

ince its formation in Canada in 1918 and then in Alberta in 1955, the Canadian Mental Health Association, a nationwide charitable organization, has dedicated Sitself to a vision of mentally healthy people in a healthy society. With that vision of the ideal future, the Association has endorsed a mission to promote the mental health of all and to support people experiencing a mental illness. Considering the impact that mental illnesses have on the individual, on their families, friends, employers and indeed on communities, most people are affected. It is not, in reality, one in five who suffer, nor is it “them” and “us.” Dealing with mental health problems is part of the life cycle for most Albertans. Against this backdrop, the members, volunteers and staff of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Alberta utilize strategies of social policy innovation, communications and direct service provision in order to achieve their objectives. Effective services also require sound organizational development strategies designed to effectively and efficiently manage the organization. The scope and diversity of these activities and outcomes are summarized on the following pages.

Social Policy

ur work has • Promoting “best practices” resources in order to increase significantly developed by the housing options for people with Oinfluenced the Federal/Provincial/Territorial mental illnesses. development of new mental Advisory Network on Mental • Presentations to the Canadian health policy in Alberta. The Health. Senate “Kirby Commission” on activities have ranged from • Supporting the Minister of mental health. research, responses to Health and Wellness, following • Providing leadership to the government proposals, his agreement to integrate western portion of a nationwide presentations to government services within Regional Health consultation designed to produce committees, briefings to policy Authorities, while mandating a National mental health policy makers, coalition building and Provincial Mental Health Board recommendations. public information. to advocate, plan and ensure • Promoting legislative provisions accountability and results – the to ensure the privacy and only one of its kind in Canada. Results include: confidentiality of personal • Advocating on behalf of • Providing an infrastructure to information. consumers and family members sustain a broad alliance of mental • Promoting primary care reform to ensure access to, and to health stakeholders that includes promote research on, the use of in order to better integrate family most major provincial nutritional supplements in the physicians into multidisciplinary professional consumer and treatment of depression. service teams. advocacy organizations in the • Providing leadership to • Promoting policies to improve province. criminal justice diversion access to home care services by • Publishing and promoting a initiatives at the provincial and persons with mental illnesses. Blueprint for Reform, based on national levels, facilitating pilot • Working to influence the World Health Organization funding for and Alberta Government’s work, co-produced with the pressing for new resources for employment and disability Alberta Alliance on Mental Calgary, St. Paul and Lethbridge. (AISH) benefit policies and the Illness and Mental Health. • Promoting strategies and initiation of new employment government and private sector opportunities for disabled people. 2 Communications

nsuring that our ideas and knowledge reach the • Promoting the Alberta award-winning mental widest possible audience is fundamental to our health policy book Political Asylums. Esuccess. Through the Internet, publications, • Promoting Mental Illness Awareness Week, media, public relations and conferences we strive to Depression Screening Day and World Mental Health inform, debate and stimulate change that will improve Day. the quality of life for people with mental health • Promoting mental health research at the problems. on the effects of stigma, and at the on the use of nutrients Results include: in the treatment of depression and on the effect of • Providing a wide range of publications on mental disability benefits on recovery. illness and mental health. • Providing an administrative infrastructure for suicide • Producing a paper on “Best Practice” in the provision prevention information, education and training, of supported housing arrangements. including an expanded emphasis on research and • Presenting papers at six major conferences on topics publications serving aboriginal peoples. as varied as “history” and “community treatment • Publishing eFACTS, a current-events bulletin orders.” detailing activity and information regarding mental • Responding to media requests, including radio health reform activities, innovations and insights. and television specials, call-in shows and newspaper • Promoting pet therapy project results following the guest columns. previous year’s research. • Promoting National Mental Health Week activity. • Participation in a Regional plan to hold the National • Providing extensive web site information at CMHA conference in www.cmha.ab.ca , including responding to public Edmonton in 2005, e-mail requests for information. sponsored in • Advocating for and informing public members who recognition of Alberta’s contact the Association for assistance. 100th anniversary and CMHA Alberta’s 50th.

Organizational Development

A well-managed organization has a clearly defined • Promoting Divisional Standards of Service based on vision, mission, values, goals and objectives. It must “best practices.” also have strong leadership, be served by dedicated and • Managing personnel benefit plans. qualified people and get results. Managing is not a • Coordinating and monitoring province-wide static activity and constant effort must be made to insurance policies and risk management practices. ensure organizational effectiveness. • Responding to Regional requests for information, advice, support and assistance. Results include: • Providing legal services. • Promoting a Strategic Management Plan as a • Promoting volunteer recognition through an awards “working document” to March 2005. system and at a major special event “Recognition • Structuring a new “task group” to examine Dinner.” Provincial/Regional roles and responsibilities in • Providing consultation on operations and light of decentralized government services. organizational development, including leadership to • Supporting the National CMHA Corporate Regional strategic planning. Fund-Raising Campaign. • Providing advice and consultation to four Provincial • Influencing government to increase grants to the “Divisions” of the Association, at the request of those Provincial CMHA, Alberta Mental Health Self Divisions and of the National Association. Help Network and the Schizophrenia Society of • Providing an administrative infrastructure and Alberta. support to the Alberta Mental Health Self Help • Expanding gaming and foundation revenue. Network, the Alberta Alliance on Mental Illness and • Providing provincial consolidated banking, payroll Mental Health (AAMIMH) and the Centre for and benefits administration. Suicide Prevention (separate detailed reports are • Reviewing financial policies and monitoring fiscal available for each of these initiatives). performance. • Initiating a succession plan for the Executive • Facilitating a consolidated external financial audit. Director based on extensive membership • Maintaining Regional/Divisional contracts detailing consultation. mutual responsibilities, and influencing the development of a similar contract between Division’s and National CMHA. 3 What We Do Locally

he Association’s Regional offices • Social/recreational programs, including camps assume responsibility for direct serving children and adults Tservices to the public in • Self-advocacy and leadership training communities across Alberta. Programs are • Educational programs, including workshops, varied and diverse and reflect local needs presentations and print materials and priorities. Detailed Annual Reports are • Public information, assessment, referral and published in each Region and are available advocacy upon request. Services include: • Community development and systems advocacy Wood Buffalo Region • Training of post-secondary students • Immigrant mental health services and (Fort McMurray) employment preparation.

• Educational programs, including workshops, presentations and print materials Alberta Central Region • Skills training, including conflict resolution for youth (Red Deer) • Family support and parenting skills • Outreach services, related to housing and poverty • Community development and systems advocacy • Bereavement education and support • Public information, assessment, referral and personal advocacy • Educational programs including workshops, presentations and print materials • Supported community housing • Self-help kits for guardianship • Suicide prevention training. • Public information, assessment and referral • Personal advocacy, with priority on housing and Alberta North West financial needs • Community development and systems advocacy Region (Grande Prairie) • Thrift store. • Supported community housing, including loans, outreach and crisis accommodation • “Clubhouse,” including skill development, Alberta East Central recreation and meals Region (Camrose) • Consumer employment opportunities • Community development and systems advocacy • Resource Centre, providing drop-in activities • Public information, print materials, referral and and support personal advocacy • Independent living skills program • Community housing facilitated in Peace River. • Community support services, including training, personal support and work • Educational programs, including presentations, print materials and a consumer-sponsored Edmonton Region speakers’ group • Outreach services, including goal-directed case • Teaching of basic cooking skills and provision of management and service co-ordination community kitchen • Day program for skill development, goal setting • Community development and advocacy and enhancement of quality of life • Public information, assessment and referral. • Housing for independent living

4 What We Do Locally

Calgary Region Alberta South East • Supported community housing Region (Medicine Hat) • Family support, including group and individual services plus 24-hour intervention, advice and • Community development and systems support advocacy • Independent living support • Personal advocacy • Suicide prevention, including education, • Educational programs, including presentations, intervention and bereavement counselling workshops, print materials and lending library • Educational programs, including presentations, • Public information, and referral print materials and a speakers’ bureau • Suicide prevention and training programs • Community development and systems advocacy • Supported employment opportunities for • Public information, assessment and referral consumers • Personal advocacy and counselling • The Post, thrift shop • Community housing and clinical services for • Information and support packs for those mentally disordered offenders concerned about a suicidal individual, or who • Peer support and leisure recreation services have lost a loved one to suicide. Hope and Healing Suicide Support Group. • Workplace mental health services • Peer Support Group • Training for post secondary students.

Pincher Creek Branch of Alberta South Region Alberta South Region (Lethbridge) • Public information, assessment and referral • Community support services, including • Educational programs, including lending library housing, income, employment, recreation and • Seniors’ luncheon program business development • Community development and systems advocacy • Pre-employment trades training • Skills training, including conflict resolution for • Community development and advocacy youth. • Crisis intervention and community mental health crisis beds • Supported community housing • Group support, including anger management and life skills • Educational programs, including presentations, print materials, assist training and workshop coordination • Public information, assessment, referral and advocacy.

5 Financials

Alberta Division Statement of Revenue and Expenses Auditors’ Report on The Canadian Mental Health Association Summarized Financial Alberta Division Statements Statement of Operations Year Ended March 31 2004 2003 The accompanying summarized balance sheet and statement of operations are derived from the Revenues Public support $243,902 $272,617 complete financial statements Government support 513,015 489,066 of The Canadian Mental Other revenue 281,515 308,104 Health Association – Alberta Productive enterprises 452,130 380,290 Division as at March 31, 2004 and for the year ended on 1,490,562 1,450,077 which we expressed an opinion without reservation in our Expenditures Amortization 15,130 19,403 report dated May 12, 2004. Building occupancy 94,757 87,124 The fair summarization of the Financial expenditures 15,826 12,402 complete financial statements is Information services 81,995 42,814 the responsibility of Minor office equipment 3,590 8,269 management. Our National membership 24,360 24,374 responsibility, in accordance Office 78,157 83,097 with the applicable Assurance Other program expenditures 2,700 3,425 Purchased services 364,182 320,981 Guideline of the Canadian Salaries 737,327 746,804 Institute of Chartered Staff recruitment and education 2,255 11,742 Accountants, is to report on the Travel and conferences 108,459 107,306 summarized financial statements. 1,528,738 1,467,741 In our opinion, the Deficiency of revenues over expenditures $(38,176)$(17,664) accompanying financial statements fairly summarize, in all material respects, the related complete financial statements in accordance with the criteria Alberta Division Balance Sheet described in the Guideline referred to above.

The Canadian Mental Health Association These summarized financial Alberta Division statements do not contain all the disclosures required by Balance Sheet Canadian generally accepted Year Ended March 31 2004 2003 accounting principles. Readers are cautioned that these Assets statements may not be Current appropriate for their purposes. Cash $407,552 $484,022 For more information on the Receivables 179,629 146,704 entity’s financial position and Prepaids 7,674 7,513 results of operations reference Due from Alberta Regions 15,848 6,653 should be made to the related 610,703 644,892 complete financial statements. Investment in shares 10,923 11,270 “Grant Thornton LLP” Capital assets 31,866 46,996 Edmonton, Canada May 12, 2004. $653,492 $703,158 The Division also produces a combined schedule of revenue Liabilities and expenses taken from the Current individually audited reports for Payables and accruals $61,371 $63,161 all of the units of the Deferred contributions 324,540 334,240 Association in Alberta. 385,911 397,401 Combined expenses for fiscal year 2003/2004 totaled over Net Assets 10.7 million dollars. Unrestricted 28,793 71,776 Invested in capital assets 31,866 46,996 Internally restricted - other 206,922 186,985 Doug Baxter, 267,581 305,757 Vice-President, Finance

$653,492 $703,158

6 Alberta North West Region Leadership Kathleen Frei, President Helma Fletcher, Executive Director The CMHA is led by elected volunteers who serve as Wood Buffalo Region Directors. They in turn employ personnel. Joan Brown, President Executive Committee Rae Molzan* Executive Director Bob Campbell President and Chair Timmi Shorr, Executive Director Aleck Trawick Executive VP Richard Drewry Past President Edmonton Region Bonnie Thiessen VP Communications Ray Bunner, President Doug Baxter VP Finance Joanne Kidd, Executive Director Suzanne Sirias VP Organizational David Maher, Interim Executive Director Effectiveness Alberta Central Region Jodi Cohen VP Projects Debra Curry*, President Directors Beth Sykes, President Joan Brown Carol Nieman Patricia Turnbull, Executive Director Kathleen Frei Dick Southworth Alberta East Central Region Betty Friesen Jim Watson Peter LeBlanc, President Brad Hornseth Mark Weatherly Colleen Vennard, Executive Director Harold McBain Calgary Region Division Personnel John Stokdijk*, President Melanie Allard Ron LaJeunesse Randy Findlay, President David Allen Peter Portlock Trish Cameron*, Executive Director Jillian Dacyk Eveline Royer Judy Martin, Executive Director Sherryl Husereau Alberta South Region Project Directors Greg Peterson, President Austin Mardon Bobbie Noden Deborah Chenery, Executive Director Diane Yackel Alberta South East Region The Association's regional organizations are separately Kathy Farrell, President incorporated and too are governed by volunteers who Lois Bourassa, Executive Director employ an Executive Director and staff. * Retired during the year

Awards

Consumers, family members and volunteers are integral to the Association's work across Canada. Hundreds of Albertans contribute their time and talent each year and few are recognized for their extraordinary contribution. Several of those extraordinary individuals were recognized in year 2004 by CMHA in Alberta. Bettie Hewes Memorial Award Alberta Division for Distinguished Volunteer Service Kathleen Frei of Grande Prairie #328, 9707 - 110 St Professional Care Award Margaret Shim of Edmonton Edmonton (Alberta) Nadine Stirling Memorial Award Sharon Sutherland of Edmonton T5K 2L9 Special Service Award Royal Canadian Legion, Lethbridge Tel (780) 482-6576 Fax (780) 482-6348 Communications Awards AlbertaViews of Calgary www.cmha.ab.ca Workplace Wellness Award Ken Fair, McDonald’s Corporation, Camrose e-mail: National Distinguished Service Award Jodi Cohen of Calgary [email protected] Edward J. Pennington Innovation Award Centre for Suicide Prevention, Calgary All illustrations courtesy of CMHA National Aleck Trawick, Q.C. Award Mary Marshall of Edmonton