#GETLOUD For Mental Health Week in Canada
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6 May 2016, by , in News, Comments off

May 2-8 is Mental Health Week in Canada, a week where we reflect on the advances in mental health, spread awareness about mental illness, and share stories of recovery.

Here in Ottawa, progress is being made. This week it was announced this that The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), will dramatically cut lengthy wait times and improve service under a new program. The Choice and Partnership Approach (CAPA), which has been used to great success in the UK and Nova Scotia, focuses on a less formal approach to assessment, based on problem-solving while offering choices to patients. Under this new model, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and counsellors work as one clinical team. It is expected that current wait times of up to nine months, will be drastically cut, to a maximum of six weeks.

Our friends at the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa, with the help of Great Big Sea’s Sean McCann, are marking this week by raising awareness and continuing the ongoing discussion around mental health issues.

On a national level, this year also marks the 65th anniversary of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Mental Health Week campaign and their theme for this year is Get Loud, prompting everyone to talk openly about mental health, mental illness and to combat the stigma that lingers. The response on Twitter has been tremendous, with many organizations and community leaders voicing their support.

Our team at Cappelli & Associates are committed to providing effective mental health care, and to improve accessibility of mental health services for all young people. We welcome CHEO’s new approach in treating mental health and salute the YSB’s tireless efforts to improve the lives of those within our community who are facing challenges every day.

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