Canadian Community Mental Health Network

The CCMHN unifies individual community-based organizations fostering collaboration to address resource gaps and enhance mental health support across Canada.

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Networking

Forging connections with the power to bridge gaps in care and improve patient outcomes.

Collaborating

Uniting standalone community mental health organizations, local healthcare workers, researchers, Persons with Lived/Living Experience, family, caregivers, and other key stakeholders.

Advocating

Building, innovating, and supporting a culture of evidence-based decision making together. Working towards increased access to care for all Canadians.

The Need for Change: Collaboration for a Stronger Mental Health Community

Mental illness goes beyond a solitary journey, affecting millions of Canadians directly and indirectly. Its impact reaches families, social groups, workplaces, and healthcare systems across Canada. The prevalence of conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) highlights the urgent need for transformative approaches to mental health care. With depression and anxiety accounting for 90% of cases and a lifetime prevalence of 20%, these statistics underscore the imperative for change in our country’s mental health landscape.

Addressing mental health issues necessitates collective efforts from the community, for the community. Community mental health organizations and service providers, especially those involving Persons with Lived Experience (PWLE), play a pivotal role in curbing the rising tide of mental health disorders. The perspectives of individuals with lived experience increasingly shape and inform research initiatives, leading to a more enlightened approach to mental health care.

The Canadian Community Mental Health Network embodies the values of community, collaboration, innovation, and advocacy. It serves as a collaborative platform for various research and service provider disciplines to advance our understanding, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. By uniting our efforts, we can pool resources and leverage our collective power as individuals on the front lines, making a positive impact in the lives of those seeking support and care.

Latest News

Featured News Story

The Need for Change: Collaboration for a Stronger Mental Health Community

Mental illness goes beyond a solitary journey, affecting millions of Canadians directly and indirectly. Its impact reaches families, social groups, workplaces, and healthcare systems across Canada.

Mental Health News

Government announces new Youth Mental Health Fund

April 9, 2024 - Government of Canada

Today, the government announced Canada’s new Youth Mental Health Fund, which will help younger Canadians access the mental health care they need, by reducing wait times and providing more care options. This will help build a happier, healthier future for every generation.

Mental health indicators improve from pandemic lows, but depression and anxiety symptoms remain

December 20, 2023 - CTV News

Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, new national data show that while some mental health impacts have begun to subside, some groups face disproportionate challenges, with more than one in three young adults, Indigenous and LGBTQ2S+ people experiencing symptoms of a mental disorder in 2023.

'Stuck in a cycle': Providers say disjointed mental health care failing to meet needs of Black youth

December 19, 2023 - CBC News

Despite increased public awareness, mental health-care practitioners, as well as the study's authors, told CBC Toronto that anti-Black racism remains a barrier, and organizations are not doing enough to address it.

About 1.6 million children and teens in Canada struggle withmental health, long waits for treatment: report

December 14, 2023 - The Globe and Mail

About 1.6 million children and teens in Canada are dealing with a mental-health disorder, with tens of thousands waiting months or evenyears for adequate treatment, according to a new report.

Just-released data reveals cost of delays in mental health care for Canadian kids

December 14, 2023 - CTV News

According to a new report, long delays in getting children and youth the mental health care they need costs Canada $4 billion every year — and that's a conservative estimate, the authors say.

Fields of anxiety: Overcoming stigma to address mental health struggles of farmers

December 9, 2023 - National Post

Most Canadian farm families are familiar with the stresses that come with agriculture. Their livelihoods can be affected by the vagaries of nature, crop or animal disease and even distant wars, but often they find themselves silenced by the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Government of Canada announces supports to improve well-being of health workers and help internationally educated health professionals enter the workforce more quickly

December 7, 2023 - Health Canada

Canada continues to face significant challenges related to our health workforce. High levels of burnout, high patient loads, resource scarcity and stress faced by dedicated health workers are common across the country.

New report highlights gaps in drug coverage for mental health

November 18, 2023 - Global News, BC

There are major gaps in drugs covered for people suffering from mental illness, and a new report suggests there's room for both federal and provincial governments to act quickly.

Canadians with mental illness face delays and inequities in accessing medications through public drug coverage system

November 17, 2023 - The National Post

“Having mental health issues is not a flaw in personality, but a flaw in chemistry,” says Chelsea Meldrum, third year university student living with mental illness.

Better drug coverage needed for mental-health patients: report

November 15, 2023 - CityNews, Edmonton

An Edmonton mental-health advocate and author knows first-hand how difficult it can be for people living with mental illness to access new medication.

'We're not being heard': Patients with mental illness face barriers accessing medication, report finds

November 14, 2023 - CTV News, Vancouver

A new study has found that patients living with mental illness are waiting years to get approval for life-altering medications.

Barriers to mental health meds

November 14, 2023 - CTV National News

Dr. Pierre Blier and Chelsea Meldrum, a Person With Lived Experience (PWLE), discuss their experiences on the inequitable access to mental illness medications in Canada.

Dr. Khullar discusses how the system is failing Canadians with mental illness

November 14, 2023 - CTV News Calgary

Discussions around the Access to Medications for Mental Illness Report, "System Broken"

Patients treated for mental illness face more barriers for medication approval and access, study finds

November 14, 2023 - CTV National News

A new study has found that patients being treated for mental illness in Canada wait “far too long” for medication approval and face “inequitable access” across the country.

MenTell Health with Michael and Corey Landsberg

November 13, 2023 - iHeartRadio, NewsTalk Tonight

Mental health advocate Michael Landsberg and his son Corey Landsberg talk about the issues of accessing mental illness medications in Canada.

Mental health minister puts $156M toward launch of 988 crisis hotline in November

OTTAWA – The government is putting $156 million over three years toward a new three-digit suicide-prevention hotline, Mental Health Minister Carolyn Bennett announced Monday.

Government of Canada announces $2.5 million for projects to improve mental health supports for Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous Peoples face multiple barriers in accessing adequate mental health care, primarily due to systemic racism stemming from colonial practices and policies like residential schooling.

Researchers examine mental health and well-being of Canada’s unpaid caregivers

New study looks at how race, ethnicity, sex, gender and age impact the experiences of unpaid caregivers across the country

Member News

Reforming health care in Canada, one community organization at a time

Increased funding is long overdue for the mental health-care system in Canada, but government can’t just throw the money at a problem and hope it goes away.

Our Members

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