Bulletin 23 April 9
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Please POST, COPY, DISTRIBUTE The Consumer/Survivor Information Resource Centre Distributed through generous support from Queen Street Division of CAMH (Centre for Addiction & Mental Health) BULLETIN Information for consumer/survivors of the mental health system, those who serve us, and those who care about us. December 1 st , 2004 Bulletin 289 C/S INFO CENTRE DROP-IN HOURS: 1-4 Monday-Thursday. PHONE HOURS: 9-5 Monday-Friday LOCATION: 252 College Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON MAILING ADDRESS: c/o CAMH, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8 TELE: 416-595-2882 FAX: 416-595-0291 E-MAIL: [email protected] Table of Contents Kirby Commission Wants Your Input Page 1 A TIME FOR A NATIONAL APPROACH TO END THE FRAGMENTATION OF SERVICES Newsbytes Page 2 Mental Health, Mental Illness and Addiction Call for Papers Page 3 Ottawa November 23, 2004 – The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology today released three interim reports that provide a broad review of policies and Health and Wellness Page 3 programs relating to mental health, mental illness and addiction in Canada. “The Senate Committee is committed to improving the range, quality and organization of health services and Good Reads support services that are required by the tens of thousands of Canadians who are living with Pages 4 & 5 mental disorders and addictions,” said Senator Kirby, adding that he had “been astonished to discover just how fragmented the system of mental health care in this country is.” WWW Page 6 The Committee will now focus on extensive consultation with Canadians in preparation for the drafting of its final report on reforming Canada’s mental health system. A cross-country series of New Services public hearings will be held in the spring of 2005 and a short questionnaire has been posted on Page 7 the Committee’s Web site soliciting the views of Canadians living with mental illness and addiction as well as their families at www.senate-senat.ca/SOCIAL.asp under “Questionnaire.” Announcements Page 8 Your participation in this process by completing a questionnaire gives your views a voice. Free & Low Cost Please add your experience, your perspective to this committee’s evaluation of a service area Activities long neglected; mental health and addictions. This is your opportunity to influence delivery of Pages 9 & 10 future services. Job Postings The Committee’s final report is scheduled to be released in November 2005. Page 10 If you do not have internet access you can book some time at any library or you can drop into C/S Info Centre to complete the questionnaire on paper or online. Call and book a time to come by. 416 595-2882. Helen. Page 111,1, C/S Info Centre Bulletin, December 1 ststst , 2004 Newsbytes Psychologically healthy offices help productivity . A feature article by Virginia Galt discussed the problems of work overload and burnout, caused partly by factors beyond people’s control such as global competition and round-the-clock availability enabled by new technology. “A study released by the federal health ministry earlier this week [ie. The week of Nov. 13 th ] identified overwork as a health hazard, adding that 58 per cent of more than 31,000 Canadians surveyed reported that they were experiencing high levels of ‘role overload.’” (Globe and Mail, Saturday, November 13, 2004, page B9) TB claims life of homeless man A homeless man in his 50s has died of tuberculosis in Toronto. He was a long-time resident of the same Salvation Army hostel, Maxwell Meighen Centre, where two employees recently contracted active TB. “Cathy Crowe, a street nurse, said shelter users are afraid the disease will continue its spread now that the cold weather is sending more people into overflowing shelters, whose crowded rooms and poor ventilation act as incubators for disease.” (Toronto Star, Friday, November 26, 2004, page A1, by Moira Welsh, staff reporter) Housing activists removed from grounds. National Housing Day was marked in Toronto by a sleepover of housing activists outside City Hall, followed by speeches and a soup-kitchen lunch on the lawn of the Legislature. At Queen’s Park, some of the activists were charged under the Trespass to Property Act and each issued a $70 ticket, for setting up tents on the Legislature grounds. (article by Hicham Safieddine and Leslie Scrivener, staff reporters, Toronto Star, Tuesday, November 23, 2004, page A4) James Bartleman walks the walk Joe Fiorito’s Metro Diary column on November 24 th highlighted A-Way Express’s Annual General Meeting, which was well attended and at which the speaker was Ontario’s Lieutenant-Governor James Bartleman. Mr. Bartleman spoke about his own experience with depression. A-Way Express is a courier service operated by psychiatric survivors. (Toronto Star, Wednesday, November 24, 2004, page B2) Electronic medical records pricey but necessary Canada Health Infoway is a not-for-profit corporation mandated by federal and provincial governments to create a coast-to-coast e-health system [ie. A system using electronic health records]. The portion of the proposed system which has been budgeted is apparently intended for acute care settings, and does not as yet provide any capabilities to support mental health services, long-term care facilities, patients’ home needs, and physician-run offices or clinics (among other areas). (e-INSIDER column by David Ticoll, Globe and Mail, Thursday, November 4, 2004, page B12) Addictions VL-tease An editorial in the Saturday, October 9 th edition of the Globe and Mail noted that Canada’s new $20 bills won’t work in Manitoba’s new video lottery terminals (VLTs). The editorial writer muses that “somewhere, a gambler may be crying himself to sleep tonight while his family members find, much to their surprise, that they have enough money to buy dinner. Chalk one up for progress.” Gambling-related suicides According to the Toronto Star, “ Ontario’s chief coroner recently highlighted the scope of the [problem gambling] problem when he predicted the province will set a new record this year in gambling-related suicides.” (Toronto Star, Sunday, November 14, 2004, page A12) Newsbytes are compiled by Glen Dewar, a consultant with Community Resources Consultants of Toronto. Page 222,2, C/S Info Centre Bulletin, December 1 ststst , 2004 Call for Papers In September of 2005, Edmonton will be the site of a major national mental health conference. It will be the annual conference of the Canadian Mental Health Association, and will incorporate the 13 th Annual Edmonton Schizophrenia conference. The conference expects to attract over 600 delegates making it Canada’s largest mental health conference in 2005. The planning committee is seeking approval for continuing education credit for a number of professions based on the conference program. The conference theme is: Make Mental Health Matter • in schools and the education system, • for employers and in the workplace, • for families, including children and youth, and • in communities. The Call for Papers is due no later than December 31, 2004. We hope you will consider submitting a proposal for the conference, and will let others know about this opportunity. Should you have questions please contact Steven Leard, Conference Planner, at [email protected] or by phone at 780-414-1663. We also hope you will join us in Edmonton September 21 st to 24 th , 2005. For more information on the conference and on plenary speakers who have been confirmed, visit our web site at www.cmha-edmonton.ab.ca . Dr. Earl Mansfield Chair, Conference Steering Committee Health and Wellness Health and Wellness Comfort Notes Barb E. sends us strategies for comfort taken from books she’s read over the years including The Peaceful Arts by Mark Evans and John Hudson, and Meditation Live Better by Bill Anderton. Dress in comfortable clothing and attend to any needs that will reduce any discomfort Keep a new favourite enjoyable video Indulge in occasional comfort foods Build a collection of most pleasurable soothing music of your own Set a relaxing atmosphere with soft lighting, warmth such as a throw blanket or pillow Turn off the phone and take a restful time off, this time belongs to you; you are obliged to no one at this time; there are no expectations; you are whole, complete and require nothing but that which enhances your comfort and sense of peace; tune out any thoughts outside this comfort zone. Breathe a gentle inhalation and imagine soothing oxygen flowing through your arms and legs. Exhale gently to feel relaxing peace and warmth. Set no time limits but when you are ready to emerge you will emerge refreshed, calm and supported. PPPaPaaaggggeeee 333,,, CCC/C///SSSS IIInInnnffffoooo CCCeCeeennnnttttrrrreeee BBBuBuuulllllleeeettttiiiinnnn,,,, DDDeDeeecccceeeemmmmbbbbeeeerrrr 111ststst ststst 22202000004444 Good Reads “Mental Health and Patients’ Rights in Ontario: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow ” The Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office 20 th anniversary special report, entitled “Mental Health and Patients’ Rights in Ontario: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, contains many articles which we felt the readers of the Bulletin would be interested in, so we are publishing the report’s Table of Contents here in the Bulletin. The entire document may be read in Adobe Acrobat format at the PPAO’s web site http://www.ppao.gov.on.ca/pub-ann.html , or you may request a printed copy of the publication by calling the PPAO at 1-800-578-2343. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgement........................................................................................................