There was some large scale news
reported in the Globe and Mail recently:http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/bells-10-million-donation-hailed-as-mental-health-game-changer/article579559/. Kudos
to Bell Canada for stepping up and making a huge (yes, 10 million dollars is a
lot of money) donation to CAMH in Toronto. This is also yet another public
statement from corporate Canada as to its awareness of and support for mental
health. And this is very much appreciated.
Now comes the next very important
part. How to ensure that this interest is not merely a reflection of the
“flavor of the moment” and how can this translate into substantive and
sustainable improvements in mental health and mental health care for all
Canadians?
Some of this responsibility will of
course need to be undertaken by CAMH, as they are the recipient of this
largess. Some of this responsibility however will need to be undertaken by
those who work in other parts of Canada, parts not as fortunate as Toronto, but
where innovative and life-altering work is being done and new directions are
being forged.
Perhaps the generosity of Bell will
rub off on other corporations. Perhaps the innovation and improvements
that this generosity will help develop at CAMH can be used to encourage and
support other parts of Canada as well – so that research conducted and lessons
learned there can swiftly and effectively be used to improve the lives of all
Canadians. Perhaps all provincial/territorial governments will realize
that more and more effective investment in mental health is
needed. Perhaps mental health will make it to the table in the discussions
in the upcoming national Health Accord (I hope that we will have another Health
Accord).
Who know? What is clear however
is that the generosity of Bell and the innovative changes un
--Stan
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