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Advocacy and Research

Advocacy issues are driven, to a large extent, by the values and beliefs of our Organization and much of what we believe as an Organization is evident in the programs and services we deliver. CMHA’s founder Dr. Clare Hincks viewed the CMHA’s “social advocacy” as its most important role because of its potential to affect so many people. This role of advocate means to “speak in favour” or “recommend publicly.” The activities are non-partisan and represent no particular ideology. The Association’s recommendations represent the views of the ill and their families along with the conclusions of modern science, all approved by an elected Board of Directors representing a broad section of the community. In many cases advocacy is done in coalitions with other “like-thinking” organizations.

How Does CMHA ‘Advocate’?

CMHA’s goals include “ensuring the best possible care, treatment and rehabilitation of the mentally ill.” In our society, “ensuring” care inevitably means influencing the Canadian political system, whose activities now affect the happiness and well being of our citizens in innumerable ways. Governments provide “essential” services like health, education, defense, communication etc. They determine laws and policies, they police or regulate activities, they finance programs, they market resources and so on. In other words, government policies have a major impact on the well being of our citizens and influencing these policies is critical to “ensuring care.”.

Some of the strategies used in our advocacy role include:

  • Developing positions for Board approval
  • Preparing and submitting briefs
  • Monitoring responses to presentations
  • Liaising with government and other agencies on matters of policy and legislation
  • Organizing communities for social action
  • Investigating consumer complaints
  • Researching public opinion and community service
  • Participating in human services coalitions
  • Participating on government advisory committees
  • Recommending legislative improvements


Desjardins Financial Security Health Survey

SOM Surveys, Opinion Polls and Marketing conducted the survey on behalf of Desjardins Financial Security between February 12th and March 14th, 2007. In total, 1,508 interviews were conducted with a representative sample of Canadian adults. The sampling plan provides proportional estimates with a maximum margin of error of plus or minus 2.6% at a 95% confidence level (19 times out of 20). The data was statistically weighted to accurately reflect the composition of Canadians by region, gender and age based on Statistics Canada’s 2001 Census information.

Mindscapes PEI

2010 marked the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Mental Health Association on P.E.I. and its dedication to promoting the mental health of Islanders.

Movember 2012

The power of the moustache as an awareness tool will now support men’s mental health initiatives in Canada.  Movember Canada has announced that it will be addressing mental health, in addition to prostate cancer, as part of its Movember 2012 campaign.

Movember Reception

November 20, 2012

The Honourable H. Frank Lewis, Lieutentant Governor of Prince Edward Island, hosted a well-attended ‘Moception’ at Government House this week.

Movember Update

Movember 1 is getting close and CMHA/PEI has entered a team this year … the ‘Gone Today – Hair Tomorrow‘ Team!  We’ll be starting things off November 1, 8:30 am, at Fitzroy Centre Clubhouse (170 Fitzroy Street, Ch’town) with a ‘shave off’ – Tom Stewart is going to lose his 35 year old beard and moustache!

Movember Update 2 ... Making Progress

We’re at the Movember half-way point and our Gone Today – Hair Tomorrow team is making headway on both the moustache front and the donations front!

Support Needs Report

In 2003, CMHA/PEI Division was contracted by the Department of Health and Social Services (the department) to conduct research into the support needs of people on Prince Edward Island with severe and persistent mental illness.

Women & Wellness Update

November 29, 2012

Women and Wellness PEI announces its presenter lineup for the upcoming 2013 event.