Web Discussion

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), National Office hosted a web discussion throughout March and April 2005 to promote a dialogue on mental health and home care: key issues and policy implications. The web discussion touched on many of the important elements to be considered in developing mental health and home care policies.

Funded by Health Canada, the Home Care and Mental Health web discussion was designed to meet Health Canada’s request for policy advice on home care and mental health. Topics discussed included access to home care by people with mental illness, assessing consumer needs for home based service, the role of informal/family caregivers and consumers in service provision, cost-effectiveness of home care for people with a mental illness, accountability and outcome measures, and health human resources in home care for people with a mental illness. 

The web discussion drew out a number of stories and personal experiences. Analysis of the discussions emphasized some of the points that are already on the policy agenda, including the need for a continuum of services, the problems of stigma, and the need for ongoing dialogue and planning in both mental health and home care sectors.

Home Care and Mental Health Web Discussion (PDF)

Policy Forum

In Toronto on January 29^th – 31^st, 2006, the CMHA National, the Canadian Association for Community Care and the Canadian Home Care Association, held a Policy Forum on Home Care and Mental Health.  This Forum brought together key stakeholders from governments, service providers, consumers of mental health services, families, health professionals and community-based organizations for discussions that will advance the policy agenda for mental health home care.

By December 2006, provincial and territorial health ministers must present a report to First Ministers on implementation steps in the ten-year plan for mental health home care. This Policy Forum enabled participants to engage in a collaborative, constructive conversation by examining directions and priorities for action.

The goals of the project were to:

• engage key policy makers from home care and mental health sectors in dialogue with voluntary sector stakeholder representatives;
• build a foundation for policy to support effective mental health home care that is integrated within a comprehensive continuum of mental health services;
• build sustainable networks and connections amongst policy makers as well as between policy makers and voluntary sector stakeholders from across the country in order to create a foundation for policy collaboration, present and future; and
• develop clear ideas and direction for implementation of recommendation(s) on acute community mental health home care

The Forum was well attended with almost 50 participants from across the country.  There was excellent representation from all stakeholder groups.

Home Care and Mental Health: From Policy to Action (PDF)