Pandemic-related stress is having a greater impact on people, especially women, living in households with young children, a new Leger poll reveals. Over one year in, the pandemic continues to take a heavy toll on the mental health and substance use of Canadians. A survey series commissioned by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) explores the impact of the pandemic on substance use and mental health in Canada by gender...Read More...

The Cannabis Knowledge Exchange Hub will have a virtual presentation at next week's Innovations in the Science of Cannabis conference, hosted by the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research. In this presentation, we will discuss the Hub's activities and outcomes since its inception in 2019, and its successes at providing accessible information on non-medical cannabis to service providers, policy makers and other stakeholders. If you plan to attend the conference, check out...Read More...

Public Health 2021 is the national conference where public health professionals, researchers, policy-makers, academics, students and trainees come together to strengthen efforts to improve health and well-being, to share the latest research and information, to promote best practices and to advocate for public health issues and policies grounded in research. The Steering Committee invites oral and poster abstracts, didactic symposia and interactive workshop submissions to be presented 6-8...Read More...

The Canadian Public Health Association is inviting public health, public safety, health and social service providers and other professionals and practitioners to participate in a short survey on substance use. Your answers will help us to better understand your knowledge and perspectives of substance use, and topics you would like to learn more about. Your participation in this survey will support the creation of tools, resources and online learning modules to support the implementation of a...Read More...

The Challenge: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increased demand for Hands the Family Help Networks’ services, especially mental health supports. With virtual mental health supports being prioritized, Hands needed to be flexible in their approach to delivering mental health support. They needed a solution to help connect with more families, provide self-directed supports, connect families and service providers to resources, and provide next steps to reach Hands and book an appointment,...Read More...

May 12 2021 12-2pm TRANSITION PATHWAYS ACT, STEP DOWN CARE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FACT IN THE US John P Ayers, MS, LPC-S & Christopher Masopust, MS, LPC ; Family & Children’s Services, Tulsa Oklahoma Family & Children's Services is the largest Community Mental Health Center in Northeastern, Oklahoma and provides ACT level services to approximately 290 clients. After the OAAF in 2018, F&CS began several long term strategic initiatives, designed to expand access to ACT...Read More...

SafeGuards Training has a Request for Proposals (RFP) process for those who are interested in joining the SafeGuards Training Team. We seek proposals from skilled professionals to provide training, online course development and consulting related to trauma informed practice. Our team helps to positively impact services for people by building the capacity of practitioners and senior management through high quality professional development using evidence-informed practice, knowledge exchange...Read More...

My son Pete died on Dec 23 2021 to an accidental Opioid Overdose. It will be TWENTY YEARS this year that he died. I shake my head in absolute despair about this escalating crisis/epidemic. From Jan 2020 to the end of November 2020 … 2167 people have died 59% increase over the same period in 2019 From Jan 2021 to March 2021 there were 842 suspected drug related deaths March 2021 was the ninth month in a row with more than 300 suspected drug related deaths The first week of March 2021 was the...Read More...

Le CAP offre le programme Entr’Aide, adressé aux jeunes de 12 à 17 ans, vivant dans la région d’Ottawa et présentant des problématiques apparentées à des traits ou à un trouble de personnalité limite (diagnostiqué ou non). Le programme est basé sur la thérapie comportementale dialectique (DBT) et permet aux participants de mieux réguler leurs émotions, de diminuer les comportements à risques tout en réduisant les méfaits. Pour en savoir plus et s’inscrire, visitez notre site web au :...Read More...

We are Excited to Announce our Virtual Learning Centre and Resource Hub! Over this past year, the Centre for Innovation in Peer Support underwent a comprehensive system programing and service model delivery change. As we continue to evolve, listening to input from our stakeholders across the province, and using QI processes to pivot, pilot, evaluate and then scale and spread; we have been able to identify gaps and needs within the system. In light of this, we are pleased to announce that as...Read More...

York University researchers, in collaboration with CAMH, have launched a first-of-its-kind mental health literacy guide to address the knowledge gap in supporting autistic adults. The free guide combines input from research and first-person accounts of autism in Canada, and provides: a definition of autism in adulthood how to identify mental health problems and mental health solutions for this community, and seeks to dispel misconceptions. The content is targeted toward autistic adults and...Read More...

The BC Centre on Substance Use wants to work with more people with lived experience (PWLE) of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). There are two opportunities to participate: The national AUD guideline committee New AUD patient medication guideline working group Do you know anyone with lived experience of alcohol use disorder, in the past or present? Would they be interested in supporting the development of a national treatment guideline or medication guide? The BCCSU would love to connect with them!Read More...

Starting today, this week marks Mental Health Week 2021 , led by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). This year's theme is #GetReal about how you feel. CMHA is encouraging people to name it, don't numb it -- "Because heavy feelings lighten when you put them into words." Add a reply below to let us know what you are doing for Mental Health Week. You can also follow @EENet_news on Twitter ! This week we're featuring one of our staff members each day, to show how we're mobilizing...Read More...

Only during CMHA Mental Health Week can you SAVE 20%! This week when you register for any of our spring/summer webinars, use promo code GetReal and enjoy a 20% discount.* HURRY offer ends May 9! Explore our full #SKCCMHLIwebinar line up at sickkidscmhlearning.ca. *Applicable to new registrations only. Promo code valid May 3 to 9, 2021. Applicable on webinars only - promotion excludes certificate programs. Promo code cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.Read More...

Check out this new Infographic! Assessment of health conditions and health service use among transgender patients in Canada The infographic is also available on the EENet website in English and French This infographic is based on the article, “Assessment of health conditions and health service use among transgender patients in Canada” by Abramovich et al. published in JAMA Network Open. 2020;3(8):e2015036. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.15036 .Read More...

May 5 2021 12-1pm ACTING LIKE EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT: GRIEF IN ACT TEAM WORKERS Albina Veltman, MD, FRCPC – Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences – McMaster University; Psychiatrist - Hamilton Assertive Community Treatment Team; (Ontario) Tara La Rose, MSW, PhD, RSW – Assistant Professor, School of Social Work – McMaster University (Ontario) ACT Team patients experience complex mental health needs made more acute by factors such as stigma, isolation,...Read More...

The Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) assesses for both anxiety and depression in children and youth 8-18 years old. It’s currently free, validated, and recommended by an international group of experts. Learn more about the RCADS in our Quick Guide, which outlines how the questionnaire is administered and scored. The Quick Guide also proposes a way of using RCADS scores to calculate indicators of change, such as response, remission, recovery, relapse, and recurrence.Read More...

Video #1: "Monitoring Mental Health: Using measurement tools to inform care for youth" (2:56). Structured measurement tools offer an organized approach to asking questions when screening for symptoms of mental health conditions in children and youth. These tools can also be used to monitor symptom change and can help physicians and other service providers make informed treatment changes (a concept called measurement-based care). Learn more in this video meant for primary care and other...Read More...

Dear Friends and Colleagues: Come join us for one or more days at this year’s Institute! A one of a kind event - conceptualization, research, key issues, treatment strategies and more. All online. Last year, we had folks from across Canada along with Great Britain, South Africa, Switzerland and the US. Full details and registration through menandhealing.caRead More...

Health Equity and Inclusion Framework for Education and Training was created to integrate equity and inclusion into the planning, development and implementation of educational and training initiatives for health professionals. Recognizing health inequities and considering the needs of vulnerable and marginalized populations, it promotes learning environments and experiences that: respect learner diversity ensure accessibility for all learners foster inclusion are free of biases and...Read More...

April 28 2021 12-1pm WORKING OURSELVES OUT OF A JOB: LENGTH OF STAY, TRANSITIONS, AND GRADUATIONS Albert Fisher, Kelley Brown, Sarepta Archila - all of Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. In this session, presenters will highlight the success of ACT as demonstrated by successful graduations and transitions into less intensive level of care. Georgia’s continuing stay criteria and methods for assessing readiness for transition to a less intensive level of...Read More...

CCYP's Strength in Structure Project is looking for 30 youth (aged 15-29) who: Self identify as Black Have accessed social and community services of some kind Are willing and able to discuss their experiences as part of a focus group made up of their peers lasting anywhere from 1-2 hours Are available on Thursday May 6th, 5-6pm EST Have not participated in a focus group with Strength in Structure before Are open to being compensated $25/hr for their participation. (e-transfer) Interested?Read More...

Interested in what it looks like to provide a safer opioid supply? Check out EENet's interview with Rebecca Penn to learn about a promising practice that aims to reduce preventable deaths and keep people connected to care. Rebecca works with the Safer Opioid Supply teams at Street Health, Parkdale Queen West, Regent Park and South Riverdale Community Health Centres in Toronto, Ontario. Rebecca also co-facilitates the Safer Opioid Supply Community of Practice (SOS-CoP). The interview is also...Read More...

What is it? IN-ROADS (International Network for Research Outcomes in Adolescent Depression) is a research project that looks into which outcomes (things that changed with treatment, like a person's energy levels or mood) matter most when treating youth depression. This project includes youth, family members, doctors and therapists. Researchers tend to measure outcomes that they think are important, meaning different researchers measure different outcomes. Our Goal: Create a core outcome set...Read More...

2021-2022 TEACH EDUCATIONAL ROUNDS Presents: Webinar Title: Treating the Complex Interplay of Anxiety, Cannabis and Tobacco Date: Wednesday, April 21, 2021 (12 PM – 1 PM ET) Presented by: Stephanie Kersta MSc, RP & Carolyn Plater MSW, RSW Registration Link: https://is.gd/AprilTERLA1 Learning Objectives: 1) Investigate the prevalence of anxiety correlated by cannabis and tobacco use. 2) Discuss the clinical efficacy of treatments for anxiety. 3) Identify the best practices for cannabis...Read More...

The Ontario Cannabis Store has released their first-ever three-year social responsibility strategy! The strategy's key pillars are: 1. Sustainability: Establishing a Foundation for Sustainability 2. Inclusion: Creating a Diverse & Inclusive Industry 3. Knowledge: Advancing Cannabis Knowledge & Promoting Responsible Consumption Click here for more information on social responsibility at the OCS.Read More...

April 21 2021 12-1pm BUILDING INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO MEET THE DISTINCTIVE NEEDS OF THE DUAL DIAGNOSIS POPULATION Nick Downs ; Manager Patient Care Services, Community Mental Health Program; Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, (Ontario) Kaitlyn Hoey ; Behavioural Therapist FACTTDD; Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, (Ontario) Brandon Pasion ; Residential Coordinator; Red Maple Supportive Residence – Justice Transition Home; John Howard Society of Ottawa (Ontario) The Flexible Assertive...Read More...

Are you passionate about youth mental health and substance use system transformation? Frayme is actively seeking applications for members of their Board of Directors . Preferred applicants will have experience in financial accountability and/or government relations; lived expertise of the Youth Mental Health and Substance Use (YMHSU) sector is considered an asset. They especially welcome those with the above experience between the ages of 18‐28 to apply as a Director. Frayme’s Board oversees...Read More...

An interdisciplinary research team led by Dr. Mary Bartram at the Mental Health Commission of Canada and Dr. Ivy Bourgeault at the University of Ottawa and Canadian Health Workforce Network is working to assess how COVID-19 is impacting the capacity of Canada’s mental health and substance use workforce. The pandemic has brought about big changes for this workforce, such as the sudden shift to online approaches and responding to increasing levels of anxiety, trauma and grief in the...Read More...

A team of scientists from the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health at Laurentian University is studying the mental health of nurses in northern Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic. They're looking for 200 registered nurses and 200 registered practical nurses to fill out an online survey to help with data collection. The survey asks about a nurse's mental health state prior to COVID-19, as well as throughout the past year of the pandemic.Read More...

The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) is proud to launch a new website to help young caregivers aged 15-25. The new website www.youngcaregiversconnect.ca was designed in collaboration with, and for, young caregivers and offers information and resources that address their unique needs. We would welcome your support in promoting this new site with young caregivers you may know or with others who interact with young caregivers. Young caregivers are often a hidden and at-risk-group of...Read More...

Hello, I am currently leading an evaluation of Peterborough Public Health’s Opioid Early Warning and Surveillance System. We have identified some challenges with monitoring the system on weekends, regarding responsiveness from partners and actioning alerts without the help from our internal resources (i.e. Communications, etc.). I'm wondering if anyone has input to offer based on other Early Warning Systems in the province. Thanks in advance! Jocelyn Qualtrough, Health Promoter E: ...Read More...

Conference Dates: March 17 - July 14, 2021 April 14 2021 12-2pm THERE IS NO “I” IN GROUPS Luis O. Lopez, MS, MA - ACT Institute (New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University) One of the most challenging jobs many providers have is facilitating group sessions - clinical, recreational, supervisory or administrative. This workshop will look at a number of aspects that makes a group effective, interesting, logical, and fun. This workshop is open to all staff, supervisors and...Read More...

The Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy has collected data from its partner organizations (Police, Public Health, Consumption and Treatment Services) and provincial bodies (ODPRN) which illustrate the rising human cost of the current drug crisis in Guelph Wellington.Read More...

Hello, For awhile, it seemed that the 'end' was somewhat in sight. However, as the COVID-19 numbers go back on the rise, stress and anxiety levels are likely increasing again. I am happy to inform that I will be offering the Mindfulness for Youth (aged 15-21) program again. The next start date is May 11/21 - please register early as space will be limited. Please contact Chris at clam@ridethewavescs.com or call 647-456-7751.Read More...

OPDI Call for Webinar Proposals Do you have an idea for a webinar related to the field of Peer Support? Would you like to share your knowledge and experience on a particular topic? Ontario Peer Development Initiative is proud to produce monthly webinars for our membership and the larger Peer Support Community, and we are currently inviting proposals for future webinars. We welcome the creation of new webinars, as well as webinars developed from previous presentations and/or conference...Read More...

On behalf of Dr. Michaela Hynie, Dr. Branka Agic & Dr. Kwame McKenzie and the research team for Promising Practices in Accessing Virtual Mental Health: Supporting Refugees during COVID-19 : You are invited to participate in a 10 minute anonymous online survey about mental health services for refugee newcomers during the COVID-19 pandemic. To participate, please click here . Participation is possible in both English and French. To learn more about this research project, go to: ...Read More...

Hello! This is a reminder that the early bird rate deadline for Kathy Steele's two upcoming livestream events: Working with Shame (May 7th) & Working with Guilt (May 8th) ends April 9th ! Unavailable on these dates? A recording will be made available for you to enjoy these training events at a later date. For details or to register, visit www.SOSWorkshops.ca or call 226-268-2307. Hope to see you then! MarisaRead More...

A new survey is highlighting alarming trends that indicate the pandemic’s strain on the mental health of Ontarians has reached all-time highs. The latest poll in a series conducted by Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario, shows a troubling pattern of loneliness: More than half of Ontarians (57%) are lonelier since the start of the pandemic, almost half (47%) wish they had someone to talk to, and more than a third (36 per cent) say they are often, very often or almost always lonely.Read More...

J Join Cam Adair, founder of Game Quitters as he shares his personal journey of overcoming his addiction to gaming. Millions of young people love to play video games, and for a good reason, they are a lot of fun. There can also be risks, and too much gaming has been linked to depression, poor academic performance, and dropouts. Cam shares his personal journey of overcoming his addiction to the gaming world and offers key insights he's learned along the way to create and remain in balance.Read More...

An interdisciplinary research team led by Dr. Mary Bartram at the Mental Health Commission of Canada and Dr. Ivy Bourgeault at the University of Ottawa and Canadian Health Workforce Network has asked us to inform you about an important study they are conducting. Their team is working to assess how COVID-19 is impacting the capacity of Canada’s mental health and substance use workforce. The pandemic has brought about big changes for this workforce, such as the sudden shift to online...Read More...

12-1pm (program update) Family and Community Matters in Recovery: Challenges and Opportunities Towards an Anti-racist Practice Luis O Lopez, MA, MS, ACT Institute/Center for Practice Innovations, Dr. Helle Thorning, ACT Institute/Center for Practice Innovations (New York, NY) We will explain the challenges and opportunities for teams and in supervision when addressing white supremacy and white privilege. The Critical Conversations (CC) Model provides a framework to illuminate and examine...Read More...

The Equity & Lived Experience Working Group of the Ontario Mental Health & Addictions Virtual Care Collaborative are conducting a series of interviews to highlight projects or initiatives across Ontario that have helped to ensure nobody is left behind in the rapid shift to virtual mental health and addictions care that has occurred in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are highlighting the creative and innovative ways in which groups have addressed the widening digital divide ,...Read More...

Statistics Canada has released the results of a survey on cannabis and alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those who had previously consumed cannabis, more than one-third (34%) reported that their consumption had increased during the pandemic. Among those who reported increased consumption, 35% reported consuming cannabis on five or more days per week during the past month. 12% of those who used cannabis reported decreasing their use during the pandemic. Access the full report on...Read More...

Check out SMHO's Student Mental Health Action Kit to access the lesson plans for early years through to secondary, including their new virtual field trip on stress management and coping, exploring the power of visualization strategies. Visualization can help students (and us!) settle our minds by temporarily shifting focus away from worries and concerns. Do you have a moment now? Why not take a break and enjoy this forest visualization? It’s one of the consolidation activities featured in...Read More...

The Ontario Peer Development Initiative is looking for Peer Supporters who would be interested in sharing their personal and/or professional experiences with Peer Support as a part of OPDI's training program. All participants will be compensated for their work. The two distinct requests are detailed below. Call for Written Stories Deadline for Expressing Interest: 31 March 2021 Proposed Deadline for Completed Story: 31 OPDI is looking for a few Peer Supporters who are interested in writing...Read More...

Hope+Me - Mood Disorders Association of Ontario provides support to individuals and families with mental health challenges through various peer support and recovery programs: Warm line: Monday-Friday 9:30AM-5PM. Callers can speak to peer support workers for support with their own mental health or navigation of the mental health system. Give us a call at Toll-free 1-888-486-8236 Virtual peer support groups: 13 different groups catering to different audiences such as women group, depression...Read More...

Dear Colleagues, My name is Ruxi Gheorghe, and I’m an MSW student at the Carleton University School of Social Work in Ottawa, Canada. Carleton's SIM Social Work Research Lab is currently conducting a pilot study on mental health professionals’ online/video-conferencing work in the context of COVID 19 pandemic stress , with the research questions of: (1) How do clinicians engage client assessment of pandemic stress on a video-conferencing platform?; (2) how do clinicians’ own personal and...Read More...

The Salvation Army Immigrants & Refugee Services is looking for volunteers OBJECTIVES: To provide language skill training to assist immigrants and refugees in the process of settling in Canada. QUALIFICATIONS: • Verbal and written fluency in English • Willingness to help newcomers • A TESL certificate would be an asset • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills • Good organizational skills, self-motivated, and have the ability to work independently • Some experience teaching...Read More...

Hope + Me - Mood Disorders Association of Ontario is seeking youth volunteers ages 15 to 25 to be part of the youth-oriented Peer Support Drop-in Group which will be held online every Saturday. The role will require the volunteer to work on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The start date is Saturday, April 3, 2021 . Applications will be accepted to March 28, 2021 (inclusive). PLEASE SEE OPPORTUNITY ATTACHMENT If you want to be part of the Hope + Me initiative to help other youth gain...Read More...