Wednesday, March 05, 2003

Nova Scotia first province to set mental health standards
Item in the CMHA - Ontario Division newsletter Mental Health Notes on Nova Scotia becoming the first Canadian province to set formal standards for mental health care, including staff accreditation, timely access to care, discharge planning, services to high-risk patients, follow-up care, and adequate staffing levels, as first noted here on February 24. See also the related documents Mental Health: A Time for Action and Strategic Directions for Nova Scotia’s Mental Health System at the province's Department of Health web site.  
  

Family Members Matter
The most recent newsletter from Canada's Community Mental Health Evaluation Initiative focuses on "...the largest group of community caregivers for people with serious and persistent mental illness. They play an essential role in the community mental health system, yet very little research has been done to fully understand the nature and importance of their contribution. A Longitudinal Evaluation of Family Initiatives in Community Mental Health in Ontario is a five-year study that aims to fill part of this gap. Now in its final year, the study examines the impact of self-help/mutual aid organizations on families of people with mental illness and on the mental health system." (Adobe Acrobat format).