Mental Health on the Hill

CAMIMH encourages all parties to work together and ensure mental health care remains an integral part of the federal health care agenda

OTTAWA, Oct. 3, 2017 /CNW/ - Today, members of the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) met with Members of Parliament and Senators as a part of Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) to discuss the importance of providing mental health resources for Canadians.

CAMIMH, an alliance of 17 national mental health-related organizations, as a part of MIAW and the Faces of Mental Illness Campaign, is advocating for government to affirm that mental health is valued equally to physical health in Canada through strategies such as targeted long-term investments and the creation of a mental health innovation fund.

"CAMIMH wants to ensure that the Government continues to provide leadership in guaranteeing the affordability and availability of mental health resources for Canadians across the country," stated Fred Phelps, CAMIMH Campaign Chair. "The conversation about mental health is becoming louder and louder, but we encourage parties from both sides of the aisle to push forward with dedicated and accountable funding for mental health care. There is still much work to be done in providing better access to services, research and treatments for mental illness."

"Bell Let's Talk is very proud to support CAMIMH and Mental Illness Awareness Week again this year," said Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let's Talk. "Increasing awareness about mental illness is critical to reducing the stigma. We congratulate the five Faces of Mental Illness for their courage in sharing their personal experiences with all of us. Your stories of recovery are truly inspiring. We encourage everyone to join the growing conversation about mental health and help millions of Canadians living with mental illness."

Today's meetings are taking place as part of MIAW 2017, an annual national initiative organized by CAMIMH which runs from October 1 to 7. MIAW, currently in its 25th year, works to raise awareness about the importance of mental health for the overall health of all Canadians and to facilitate a much-needed national conversation about mental illness. To learn more about CAMIMH and Mental Illness Awareness Week, visit www.camimh.ca. CAMIMH would also like to thank its generous sponsors who make this campaign possible: Bell Let's Talk, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Lundbeck Canada Inc., Innovative Medicines Canada and Impact Public Affairs.

Established in 1998, the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) is an alliance of national mental health organizations comprised of health care providers and organizations representing persons with mental illness and their families and caregivers. CAMIMH's mandate is to ensure that mental health is placed on the national agenda so that persons with a lived experience of mental illness and their families receive appropriate access to care and support.

CAMIMH Members 2017:
Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, Canadian Association of Social Workers, Canadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Mental Health Association, Canadian Psychiatric Association, Canadian Psychological Association, The College of Family Physicians Canada, HealthCareCAN, Medical Psychotherapy Association of Canada, Mood Disorders Society of Canada, National Initiative for Eating Disorders,  Psychosocial Rehabilitation Canada, Schizophrenia Society of Canada, National Network for Mental Health

SOURCE Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health