Policy

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Canadian Federal Organizations

Establishing collaborative initiatives between mental health and primary care services for ethnocultural populations
This toolkit is designed to assist service providers and other key stakeholders to work collaboratively to meet the mental health needs of ethnocultural populations.  One in a series of twelve toolkits developed by the Canadian Collaborative Mental Health Initiative (CCMHI), highlights include: ten key issues for consideration when planning and implementing an initiative; descriptions of two positive practice initiatives; and a list of key websites.

Health Indicators
From the website of the Canadian Institute of Health Information and their Health Indicators’ Library: Health indicators are standardized measures by which to compare health status and health system performance and characteristics among different jurisdictions in Canada. Health Indicators aim to support Regional Health Authorities in monitoring the health of their population and the functioning of their local health system through quality comparative information on:

  • the overall health of the population served
  • the major non-medical determinants of health in the region
  • the health services received by the region’s residents
  • characteristics of the community or the health system that provide useful contextual information

Public Health Agency of Canada

Accountability and Performance Indicators for Mental Health Services and Supports
The resource kit is designed to introduce the user to key concepts in accountability and performance monitoring. It emphasizes the importance of tracking performance indicators in the context of clear goals and objectives and suggests that the choice of indicators be driven by their relevance to decisions regarding resource allocation, policy direction, or system or program modification. Critical steps in the performance management cycle are described with the aim of improving the utility of monitoring efforts.

This is a valuable tool for anyone contemplating creating and implementing a mental health policy.

Review of best practices in mental health reform
This Public Health Agency of Canada document is in two sections. Section one covers core services in a comprehensive mental health system such as: self-help, case management and, education services, while section two covers the areas of policy, governance, evaluation and, human resources.

Immigrant Mental Health (The Metropolis Project)
This collection of articles in the journal Canadian Issues published by the Public Health Agency of Canada covers a broad spectrum of topics in migrant mental health, including: clinical practice, community-based research, population surveys and health surveillance. The articles address a range of conceptual, methodological and measurement issues and identify key data and research gaps. Several articles discuss the challenges of defining and operationalizing key concepts and dimensions of mental health and service delivery, including the concept of “mental health” itself. (There are English and French articles.)

Canadian Mental Health Association

Submission respecting a cultural and racial sensitivity policy
These documents contain the statement of principles as well as the policy statement of the CMHA (Ontario) to address the mental health needs of its culturally and ethnically diverse population.

Comparative Mental Health Policy: Are there lessons to be learned?
This 2005 article published in the International Review of Psychiatry presents a comparison of Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and UK mental health policies and examines the evolution of mental health policy in Ontario, Canada. It provides insights into the Ontario experience and explores whether there are lessons to be learned that can be applied in Canada and elsewhere.

Diversity Works: Accommodations in the Workplace for People with Mental Illness
This guidebook  aims to  assist those who have hired, or are contemplating hiring, individuals with mental illnesses with regard to what strategies and policies should be employed to accommodate their specific needs.