Clearing the air on the basic status of care for people living with “severe, persistent mental illness” and addictions in Canada

What ever your view on the weakness’, strengths and follies of adult psychiatry, David Gratzer’s https://davidgratzer.com/ article  A crisis of neglect: How society can help those with mental illness address’ the current status of care services, the need to address the social determinants of health, along with involuntary treatment initiatives for mental health and addictions in Canada.

Its all been said before but to his credit the doctor’s plain speaking assessment brings us to the basics for people living with “severe, persistent mental illness” and addictions.  This article makes it less easy for the neglect to be nudged aside by government news releases of their newest programs.  But what made me sit up was his concluding section, it shifts our view from an individual’s recovery to what surrounds them in their community.

… Dr. Thomas Insel, a psychiatrist, led the U.S. National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH), the largest funder of mental-health research in the world, for 13 years. He’s advised American presidents and overseen US$20-billion of funding. He marvels at the incredible advancement in scientific knowledge when it comes to mental disorders. But he also sees deep problems. In a recent conversation, he explains: “In the years I was at NIMH, the suicide rate in the United States went up 30 per cent, and overdose death went up 300 per cent. The numbers of people with serious mental illness who were working, who were housed, who were not incarcerated, all those numbers went down, not up.”

How to address our current problems? He talks about the advice he received from a psychiatrist who works with the homeless. “‘If you really want to make a difference, stop thinking about diagnosis and symptoms, start thinking about recovery.” He said, ‘it’s simple. It’s just the three P’s.’ And I thought: Prozac, Paxil or psychotherapy. He said, ‘No, it’s people, place, and purpose. Social support, a decent environment with housing and food and things that help people to prosper, and people will have to have something to live for.’” …

Here is the article: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-a-crisis-of-neglect-how-society-can-help-those-with-mental-illness/

Using the Housing First Model to shift our practices to a systems approach – Webinar

This presentation is a useful moment to sharpen our focus on systems of care rather than our frequently siloed intra-organizational perspective.

Join the next International Housing First webinar, hosted by the Canadian Housing First Network – Community of Interest and the Housing First Europe Hub. This is the second in the 2022-2023 International Webinar Series on Housing First!

In this webinar, experts and practitioners from Canada, the United States and Europe will share their research, policies and practices on how to create system change through the implementation of Housing First principles and programs.

 

(image: tandem tracks of approaches with different emphasis – prevention, emergency, housing/supports in https://housingfirsteurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Systems_Perspective_Policy_and_Practice_Guide.pdf)

Date: March 30, 2023; Time: 10 – 11:30 AM (Eastern Time)

Learn more and registration is here: https://kmb.camh.ca/eenet/events/webinar-creating-system-change-through-the-adoption-of-housing-first-principles-and-programs

The background documents from the European Hub suggest a lens on policy and advocacy and how this can be integrated with practice via a governance approach.  This seems quite different from our usual talk of implementation! It would be great to hear what others think about the talk after.

(image: text of contrasts of policy vs. governance approaches in https://housingfirsteurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Systems_Perspective_Policy_and_Practice_Guide.pdf

 

Background documents on-“systems” from European Housing First Hub is here:

https://housingfirsteurope.eu/resources/advocacy/

 

 

 

 

Learn about the work of Ottawa’s Social Planning Council

The Annual General Meeting will provide a useful snapshot of the council’s work in Ottawa. https://www.spcottawa.on.ca/

(Image of people meeting and text describing purpose of the social planning council)

Join us for our 93rd AGM! Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcuf-upqzkiE9Ck7VEbRTOI3wXd1iH-S3Xt…

… 93rd Annual General Meeting!

…Learn all about our community work and impact, and also receive a live demo on our Neighbourhood Equity Index (NEI) Tool! #SPCOttawa

Wednesday May 26 6:00-8:00 pm via zoom

A sharper view of mental health reform in Ontario, in Covid times

This interview with Dr. Kwame McKenzie of the Wellesley Institute, https://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/ sharpens the future plan for mental health system reform. Good medicine, a balm, for those of us who experienced a languishing of our mental health system before, Covid as well.

See the Video: https://www.tvo.org/video/flattening-ontarios-mental-health-curve?fbclid=IwAR12F6vGIb7Bue-mtw5MAlX1qtyurmIDrtAfZoe8J_pGZuxGv9sjlK176n0

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Reference document, McKenize encouraged us to read:

A social contract for a mentally healthy Canada

A Discussion on the roots of Housing First, brings us back to “Out of the Shadows” – Mental Health Commission’s Recommendations

Take 45 minutes to pause and think about our systems of care with the talk’s sharp focus on the intervention itself.  The discussion got me thinking of: the recovery model; our categories of who fits into what program of care; mental health care’s forms of intervention; and what ever happened to the Mental Health Commission’s Recommendations and its whole system, whole country recommendations guide?

The “fireside chat,” helps us step into a “new year,” and made me want to know more about the implementation plans of health and social reforms occouring in Ontario and our city.  The vision of initiatives such as Health Teams have the mission to incorporate, health and the social determinants of health. It would be useful to concretize the various plans: disability reform, housing, mental health care, homelessness, population based care and weave the implementation steps to make coherent to clients, families, frontline providers, managers.

Does anyone know who is doing this?

A discussion with Dr. Sam Tsemberis, the founder of Housing First,  who joins Alex Smith, Housing First England’s Senior Project Manager.

Please see the Webinar here: https://hfe.homeless.org.uk/discussion-dr-sam-tsemberis

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Just to share the commission’s work:

Out of the Shadows at Last: Transforming Mental Health, Mental Illness and Addiction Services in Canada

https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/document/44501/out-shadows-last-transforming-mental-health-mental-illness-and-addiction-services-can

Long Term Care reform – our history meets the politics of policy

Pat Armstrong – leading researcher is interviewed by David Herle – leading political consultant with, high level questions and grounded in straight forward and nuanced answers.  How do you have both straight forward and nuanced answers on unrecognized and skilled work, taxes and implementation of workplace policy? The podcast is worth your time.

… Our special guest today is Pat Armstrong. Pat is a sociologist and distinguished Research Professor at York University, and a leading expert in eldercare. She, along with an international team, just published the report “Re-imagining Long-term Residential Care in the COVID-19 Crisis.” We’re going to take a deep dive into that issue. How did we get to this horrible place and what has to change from this point forward? …

 

Go to the podcast here: https://www.theherleburly.com/episodes/nursing-homes-polipanel

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 Re-imagining Long-term Residential Care in the COVID-19 Crisis

by: Pat Armstrong, Hugh Armstrong, Jacqueline Choiniere, Ruth Lowndes, and James Struthers

… In the long term, evidence suggests policymakers should more effectively integrate long-term residential care into the the public health care system, through federal legislation similar to the Canada Health Act, in order to develop a universal public long-term care plan that is accessible and adequately funded; stop privatization and promote non-profit ownership; ensure protective equipment is stockpiled for the future; build surge capacity into labour force planning and the physical structure of facilities; and establish and enforce minimum staffing levels and regulations. …

See the report here: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/re-imagining-long-term-residential-care-covid-19-crisis

“Nurses orders”… for Health Care Reform that aims for system change

During Nursing Week the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario https://rnao.ca/ share plan to give a system reform direction, via ECCO … 3.0 report released during nursing week.  Just what the Nightingale’s ordered for the emerging health teams approach in the age of Covid.

“My view you know is that the ultimate destination is the nursing of the sick in their own homes…I look to the abolition of all hospitals and workhouse infirmaries. But it is no use to talk about the year 2000.”

Florence Nightingale, 1867

(image from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/78250112248371067/)

“What is ECCO?

Enhancing Community Care for Ontarians (ECCO) calls on government and health system partners to strengthen community care and anchor the health system in primary care to better meet the health needs of all Ontarians. First released in 2012 and next in 2014, ECCO 3.0 aligns with much needed health system transformation that responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. “

See the report here: https://rnao.ca/policy/report/ecco-30-enhancing-community-care-ontarians

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Discussion on basic guaranteed income @ City Hall: how would it work? Learning from the Dauphin experience

Ontario Association of Social Workers – Eastern branch discussion and sharing the experience of the Dauphin Manitoba Guaranteed Income Experiment via: screening of the documentary, followed by a discussion with a panel of experts.

“A Town Without Poverty; Canada’s Experiment in Guaranteed Income”

Wednesday March 4 at noon, Ottawa City Hall in the Councillors Lounge.

Ron Hikel:  Former Executive Director, Dauphin Manitoba income Experiment

Hugh Shewell: MSW, PhD Associate Professor, School of Social Work Carleton University

Linda Lalonde:  Chair of  the Ottawa Poverty Reduction Network

Our Objective:  

• Provide information about Basic Guaranteed Income
• Share ideas 
• Encourage discussion about strategies for implementation of basic income

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FREE SOUP KITCHEN –  bring your own mug

This event is part of our celebration of Social Work Week.

The Ottawa Basic Income Network will have an information table.

For further information contact: OASW.East@gmail.com

 Ontario Association of Social Workers – Eastern Branch /

L’association des travailleuses et travailleurs sociaux de l’Ontario – Section de l’Est 

Heartwood House 404 McArthur Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1K 1G8

Here is the poster for the event, please share widely: OASW Poster March 4 final (1)

Petition that “declares an affordable housing and homelessness emergency in Ottawa,” moves us beyond the “city’s” silo

I know petitions are … iffy, but strategically this could be a step to increase the focus on housing policy at various levels of government.  Useful to remember that the national homelessness strategy in the late 90’s got the political kick from people on the ground, in the cities.

• So please consider signing the 2 minute wonder and… share with others.
• This Ottawa campaign has had organizations endorse it as well.   Please consider nudging your organization to step forward.

(Beaver Barracks image above from the Ottawa Alliance to End Homelessness)

PETITION: DECLARE A HOUSING EMERGENCY

The City of Ottawa prides itself as being a caring and compassionate city and continually strives to be a place where people want to live, work and play; and providing access to safe, adequate, and affordable housing for everyone is fundamental to achieving that goal.

We call on Ottawa City Council to adopt Councillor McKenney’s Housing Emergency motion which:

• declares an affordable housing and homelessness emergency in Ottawa;
• acknowledges that we do not possess the resources to manage this crisis alone and that we must call on the Provincial and Federal governments to assist us by providing the City with an immediate increase in emergency funding for housing, housing supports and housing allowances as well as a long-term financial plan to meet the needs of the community;
• resolves that the update to the ten-year housing and homelessness plan includes aggressive targets to:
  • preserve and increase the affordable housing supply;
  • increase access to housing affordability;
  • prevent the occurrence of homelessness and eliminate by 100 per cent chronic homelessness by 2024; and
  • ensure people are supported to achieve housing stability and long-term housing retention.

Please go to the petition here: https://www.housingemergencyottawa.ca/?recruiter_id=30085&fbclid=IwAR2Bmh0SecZAdVnQ-AvEWrzaAvfuWpyR7oGuZuqOsBSy94GoxjjeTNHPtmc

 

Canada’s era of reconciliation meets Indigenous People’s subconscious in “Our Northern Citizen”

For a glimpse of Canada’s planning and governance in play for Indigenous Peoples – useful right now take a look at this half hour documentary by the NFB in 1956 – and consider how policy development echoes and more to the point rings out to us today.

“…  subconscious sense of security in the new ways…;
…changing the Eskimo…;
… imitative skills….”

Our Northern Citizen, John Howe, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Please see the documentary Here: https://www.nfb.ca/film/our_northern_citizen/

The film helps us understand the current Indigenous Peoples governance atmosphere and structure in play in Canada’s era of reconciliation as described in this post: https://socialhealthpracticeottawa.wordpress.com/2019/09/28/finding-reconciliation-and-not-having-reforms-perpetuate-the-poison-of-colonialism/