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Navigating the journey to wellness: The comprehensive mental health and addictions action plan for Ontarians, August 2010
The report offers 23 recommendations with the key one being:
“A new umbrella organization—Mental Health and Addictions Ontario (MHAO), responsible to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care—should be created to ensure that a single body is responsible for designing, managing, and coordinating the mental health and addictions system, and that programs and services are delivered consistently and comprehensively across Ontario.”  Read more…

Canadian survey on depression, July 2009
A new national survey on depression reveals that despite their impact on a person’s daily life, disabling functional symptoms – difficulty concentrating or making decisions, lack of motivation and loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities – are taking a backseat to discussion around emotional symptoms during patient-physician interactions.  Read more.....(PDF English // French)

National Coalition on Dual Diagnosis, November 2008
The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed and the Canadian Association for Research and Education in Intellectual Disabilities have joined with other groups to form the National Coalition on Dual Diagnosis. The Coalition’s Position Statement, along with other useful documents are available on the CARE-ID website www.care-id.com under “dual diagnosis.”

National integrated framework for enhancing mental health literacy in Canada - final report, July 2008
The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health is pleased to present this National Integrated Framework for enhancing Mental Health Literacy in Canada. CAMIMH defined mental health literacy as the knowledge and skills that enable people to access, understand and apply information for mental health. This definition places more of an emphasis on empowerment for health, a key concept in health promotion and health literacy. This National Framework represents the culmination of almost four years of research, planning and consultation across Canada. This project was initiated to research the mental health literacy of Canadians, to compare it with findings from other jurisdictions, to share the findings with key partners and in partnership, to develop an integrated strategy to improve mental health literacy in Canada. Read more...

CIHI’s Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada Series (2003-2008)
The goal of the Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada series of annual reports is to provide key indicators of hospital services for individuals diagnosed with mental illness, including separation volumes (discharges and deaths), service rates and lengths of stay. These indicators of hospital service usage are presented by age, gender and diagnosis and are provided at the pan-Canadian, provincial/territorial and regional levels.

• Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada 2005-2006, CIHI, August 2008 (link)
• Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada 2004-2005, CIHI, October 2007 (link)
• Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada 2003-2004, CIHI, November 2006 (link)
• Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada 2002-2003, CIHI, October 2005 (link)
• Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada 2001-2002, CIHI, 2003 (PDF English)

The Human Face of Mental Health and Mental Illness in Canada, Government of Canada, October 2006
The purpose of The Human Face of Mental Health and Mental Illness in Canada is to raise awareness and increase knowledge and understanding about mental health and mental illness in Canada.  This report is the culmination of many hours of work by many dedicated people who care about improving the quality of life of people coping with mental illness and their families, and who believe in the power of positive mental health to help people “realize aspirations, satisfy needs and … cope with a changing environment.”  Read more…  (PDF English // French)

Correctional Investigators Report, October 2006
For years, health care issues have been a primary area of offender complaints to this Office and the Correctional Service’s grievance process. By law, the Correctional Service must provide essential health care services to every inmate in accordance with "professionally accepted standards." The law makes no reference to other measurements, such as community or provincial standards.  To help ensure that this obligation was being met, the Correctional Service committed in 2001 to have all its health care units and regional mental health facilities accredited. Accreditation involves a detailed examination of an organization’s services and methods of operation. Read more...

Out of the Shadows at Last, Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, May 2006
The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology has received more than two thousand submissions from all across Canada on the subject of mental health, mental illness and addiction. The members of the Committee have come to recognize the reality that profound change is essential if persons living with mental illness are to receive the help they need and to which they are entitled.  Read more by accessing the reports below:

• Out of the Shadows at Last: Highlights and Recommendations (PDF English // French)
• Out of the Shadows at Last: Full Report Read more…  (PDF English // French)

INTERIM REPORTS (November 2004)

• Report 1 Mental Health, Mental Illness And Addiction: Overview of Policies and Programs in Canada, The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (PDF English // French)
• Report 2 Mental Health Policies and Programs in Selected Countries, The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (PDF English // French)
• Report 3 Mental Health, Mental Illness and Addiction: Issues and Options for Canada, The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (PDF English // French)

It’s Your Health, Health Canada, May 2006
Most Canadians are affected by mental illness, either directly or indirectly, through family, friends or colleagues. Yet there is still a stigma attached to this range of diseases that is a barrier to correct diagnosis and treatment, as well as to the acceptance and support of people with mental illness within the community. Read more... (PDF English // French) 

One in Seven Hospitalizations in Canada Involve Patients Diagnosed With Mental Illness, CIHI, October 2005
A new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) reveals that patients with a primary diagnosis of mental illness accounted for 6% of the 2.8 million hospital stays in 2002–2003. Another 9% of hospital stays involved patients with a non-psychiatric primary diagnosis and an associated mental illness. Combined, these hospital stays accounted for one-third of the total number of days patients spent in Canadian hospitals. These stays were more than twice as long, on average, as stays not involving mental illness. Read more...

Fighting Stigma and Discrimination is Fighting for Mental Health, Queen's University, August 2005
This paper reviews the origins of stigma and discrimination and the main consequences for people with mental illness, and those around them. Stigma reduction efforts in Canada are reviewed in light of their absence from the reports of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. The paper closes with ten lessons for stigma reduction intended to both distil Canadian experiences and provide guidance for further policy debate. Reflecting on the international and Canadian experiences, of particular importance is recognizing that generic campaigns are largely ineffective, and that programs must be carefully focused upon selected groups. Read more...PDF English

Not For Service:  Experiences of Injustice and Despair in Mental Health Care in Australia, Mental Health Council of Australia, 2005
Australia has made a commitment under international human rights law to provide the ‘highest attainable standard’ of mental health care. As one of the wealthiest nations in the world, this commitment means that Australia should be setting the example for others to follow. This report demonstrates that while Australia has made many advances, there is still a long way to go. This is a report of the consultations by the Mental Health Council of Australia and the Brain and Mind Research Institute in association with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. Read more... (PDF English) 

A Call For Action, 2003
The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) calls for significantly increased attention to mental illness and mental health promotion at all levels of Canadian society. This paper is CAMIMH’s tool to engage abroad range of stakeholders in generating ideas and building consensus on a national vision and action plan for mental illness and mental health. It is hoped that this discussion paper will inspire many new partners and allies to WORK TOGETHER to achieve this vision through one strong voice. Read more ... (PDF English // French)

Canadian Community Health Survey Mental Health and Well-being, Statistics Canada, September 2003
As many Canadians suffer from major depression as from other leading chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes or a thyroid condition, according to new data on mental health and well-being from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). Some 4% of people interviewed in the survey reported having experienced symptoms or feelings associated with major depression, compared with 5% with diabetes, 5% with heart disease and 6% with a thyroid condition. Read more...

Canadian Community Health Survey's Canadian Forces supplement on mental health, Statistics Canada, September 2003
On September 3, 2003, the Canadian Community Health Survey released the first national results on mental health and well-being. Data are available from the Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey, a special supplement to the CCHS. The target population of the CCHS itself does not include full-time members of the Canadian Forces. As a result, the Department of National Defense commissioned Statistics Canada to conduct a supplemental survey of armed forces personnel, including personnel on reserve status. This survey measured the prevalence of five mental disorders: major depression, social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and general anxiety disorder. It also measured the prevalence of alcohol dependence.  Read more… (PDF English)

Emerging New Practices in Organized Peer Support, US Department of Health and Human Services, 2003
In the past decade, consumer-operated peer-support services have matured, diversified, and increased their numbers across the United States. As traditional mental health programs are strained by demands for services at a time of limited fiscal resources, the inclusion of consumer-operated/peer-support services within the continuum of community care is expanding the capacity of the mental health delivery system and promoting recovery in cost effective ways. Read more…  (PDF English)

Report on Mental Illness in Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, 2002
A Report on Mental Illnesses in Canada is designed to raise the profile of mental illness among government and non-government organizations, and the industry, education, workplace, and academic sectors. It describes major mental illnesses and outlines their incidence and prevalence, causation, impact, stigma, and prevention and treatment. Policy makers will find the information contained in this report valuable for shaping policies and services aimed at improving the quality of life of people with mental illness.  Read more…  (PDF English // French)