Janet McAllister - Local Projects

Janet McAllister
Program Consultant

Southwestern Area

Janet has worked for CAMH for over 15 years primarily focusing on policy and education. Her current areas of work include policy, health equity and chronic disease prevention.Stigma issues related to addiction and mental health are incorporated into all these areas.

Policy

There are two main areas in the CAMH policy agenda that Janet is involved in; alcohol and tobacco. She (Janet) co-chairs the CAMH Alcohol Policy and Research Group which provides input at the provincial, federal and international level on alcohol policy. The group also has priorities in strategic planning and developing alcohol related questions and reports for the CAMH Monitor which is used for provincial and local level planning. She is also involved in alcohol and bar/restaurant policy and education at the local level.

Tobacco is the second area that Janet is involved in policy work. As a team member of the Tobacco Policy Group in CAMH, Janet is involved in strategic planning and recommendations at the provincial level on tobacco policy primarily in the area of mental illness and addictions. She also provides consultation locally with organizations interested in developing and implementing policies.

Health Equity

Janet is the chair of a local group that focuses on improving services to refugees and immigrants in the London area. Through networking, and provision of education, and workshops, service providers are provided with information and tools to change their practices and organizations to become more inclusive. Janet also sits on the internal CAMH Health Equity group.

Chronic Disease Prevention

Local and provincial level work is currently being done related to alcohol and tobacco particularly related to cancer. A provincial paper on alcohol and cancer has been presented to various professional health organizations and local community groups as a basis for strategic planning.