The CMHA's broad mandate is to promote the mental health of all people. Our involvement in the many issues surrounding mental health is based on our fundamental principles of empowerment, peer and family support, participation in decision-making, citizenship and inclusion in community life.
Policy Statements articulate the general principles and recommendations relating to a particular issue, which are endorsed by the CMHA.

Position Paper On Federal Income Security Programs  (PDF)

The chronic yet episodic nature of mental illness places consumers at a major disadvantage when applying to Federal income security programs like CPP-Disability and Employment Insurance or qualifying for the non-refundable disability tax credit. This report highlights the barriers faced by consumers and puts forward recommendations for changes to current Federal income security legislation, policies and practices. If you're looking for practical assistance with your CPP-Disability application or appeals process, visit the Disability Claims Advocacy Clinic.

Housing for Persons with Disabilities

A home is the base from which we have the security to build our lives as we choose. We should be able to choose where to live, whom to see, and how to behave in our home. In our home we should have the privacy to reflect and relax in peace. We should have the autonomy to decorate and maintain our home as we see fit. Our home is the focus of our social network. These are all arguably essential prerequisites of mental health and well-being.

Mental Health and Unemployment

Since work is an essential part of participation in society, the loss of paid employment can have serious psychosocial, as well as economic, effects. In setting forth this policy statement, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) recognizes that access to meaningful paid employment is a basic human right. In a fair and equitable nation, social justice demands government standards which promote full employment and programs which assist those who are unemployed.

Mental Health Services

The mental health services discussed below represent the formal mental health system. Equally important to the community resource base, which is person-centred, are informal caring networks, community groups and agencies, family support and self-help. This policy statement addresses important principles for the formal treatment system.

Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by Mental Health Service Providers

The Canadian Mental Health Association recognizes that sexual exploitation and abuse by mental health service providers takes place. The Association also recognizes that without fail such exploitation and abuse are harmful to mental health consumers. Evidence has come from anecdotal reports, complaints to professional associations, and more recently from surveys of the general public and professional groups.

Women and Mental Health

Social inequality has damaging consequences for the mental and emotional well-being of women. Throughout their lives, women may be considered "at risk" of developing emotional problems due to a host of social factors. Limited participation in public life, restricted decision-making, devalued role expectations, poverty, violence and sexual abuse undermine the potential for emotional well-being. Social change is needed to strengthen the emotional well-being of women individually and collectively in society.

Women and Work

The Canadian Mental Health Association believes that social inequality has damaging consequences for women's mental well-being. Inequalities continue to exist for Canadian women with respect to family life, education, training, employment, and decision-making roles in society. Although a small proportion of women are benefiting from policies designed to increase access to professional occupations that command higher incomes, the vast majority of women remain in low-status, low-income jobs.

Mental Health and Violence Against Women and Children

Women and Health Care

A number of studies on women's health have demonstrated strong links between health status and socioeconomic factors affecting women. Limited participation in public life, restricted decision-making, devalued role expectations, poverty, violence and sexual abuse encumber the potential for mental well-being. Social and economic stresses, coupled with the inequitable burdens imposed by role expectations, often have a negative impact on women's health, happiness and potential for personal fulfillment and achievement.

Violence Towards People with Mental Health Problems 

In 1993 CMHA conducted a cross-Canada study of violence towards people with mental health problems. The study focused on people who had experienced violence after becoming consumers of mental health services. It identified that the homes, public places and hospitals are the places where violence is most often experienced by people with mental health problems, and that family members, mental health service consumers and service providers are those most likely to be violent towards them.

Cross Cultural Mental Health

The immigrants and refugees arriving in Canada face many barriers to an easy adjustment to Canadian society. The challenge of learning a new language, and socio-economic and legal issues make the task of starting a new life in Canada a daunting one. As our population becomes more diverse, the services we provide have to be relevant and accessible to all the people in our community. In addition, as the population changes, the ways in which we provide services must also change. For instance, in order to provide good mental health services, the services need to become culturally sensitive and appropriate.

Informed Consent to Treatment

The Canadian Mental Health Association believes that people who may need mental health care deserve the full range of informed choices surrounding the best possible care. This includes the choice to reject treatment. Self-help options and informal personal supports may complement or supplant the full range of formal psychosocial and medical treatments, in accordance with the wishes of the individual. It cannot be assumed that medical treatment is the only or best option for individuals.

Advocacy and Persons with Long-term Mental Health Problems

Since its inception over seventy years ago, the Canadian Mental Health Association has been a unique advocate for the chronically mentally ill. During the past decade, CMHA has expanded its mandate from promoting service delivery to active support of self-help initiatives and the community resource base. The protection of individual rights in therapeutic programs and in the community has become a major focus.

Community Reinvestment

In many cases, people with severe mental health problems are struggling for survival. Employment opportunities are limited; poverty and homelessness are common. People who are frequent consumers of mental health services risk becoming disconnected from the web of relationships which constitute "community". Professional service providers alone cannot respond to the need for work, decent income, and reciprocal relationships.

Consumer Involvement: Beyond Tokenism

Within CMHA, "consumers" have been defined as "people with direct experience of significant mental health problems who have used the resources available from the mental health system." Many persons who volunteer or work in the CMHA or mental health system and the community have suffered from mental illness. However, for a variety of reasons, people may choose not to identify themselves as consumers; usually consumer participation means the inclusion of people who choose to identify themselves as consumer of mental health services. This self-identification is part of the empowerment of people who have often been left out of decision-making.

Employment: Incentives and Accomodations

The Canadian Mental Health Association, through research and experience, has proved that people who experience mental illness can be employed successfully. Persons with mental illness can and do hold responsible jobs and make significant contributions in their work, home and leisure lives. However, not all persons who could be employed are working because they, potential employers, professional caregivers, and the public emphasize their disabilities, not their capabilities.

Health Research and Training Affecting Women

Mental health professionals require better training to respond to women's mental health needs. Most training programs presently do not require coverage of gender issues nor do they even attempt to address how women's experiences are different from men's. Women's biological, psychological and social needs are not part of the curriculum in professional schools, and most therapy and research are premised on male experience.

Community Committal  

Community committal refers to a process whereby a court order can be used to force a person with a serious mental disorder to comply with a treatment program outside the hospital. Although this strategy has been in place for as long as twenty years in some states in the US, it has only recently emerged in Canada.

Supporting Consumer Involvement

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) affirms the broad mandate encompassed by our mission, to promote the mental health of all people. CMHA is strengthened by the skills and experience, as well as by the uniqueness and individuality of all our volunteers; we celebrate differences.