News from the Centre: CrossCurrents Spring 2003

CrossCurrents

CAMH's 5th anniversary

March 2003 marks our 5th anniversary. We are planning a year's worth of celebration, with a kick-off in March, and various activities throughout the year. When CAMH was created in 1998, no one could have known how significant this merger would be. Every day, we find new ways to make care, research, health promotion and education stronger through enhanced integration, partnerships and knowledge sharing, within CAMH and with hundreds of agencies and community providers throughout Ontario. To find out more about our 5th Anniversary celebrations, contact Deborah Etsten in our Public Affairs department at 416 535-8501, ext. 4472.

Madness and Arts 2003 World Festival explores the mind through the arts

Tickets are now on sale for the first-ever Madness and Arts 2003 World Festival being held March 21-30 at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. The festival is being presented by the Workman Theatre Project and CAMH, with generous support from the CAMH Foundation. You don't want to miss this opportunity to see over 100 artists from England, Denmark, Japan, Germany, Cuba, Australia, the United States and Canada, all performing works that deal with mental illness. For more information, visit www.madnessandarts.com or call the Info Line at 416 583-4606. To purchase tickets, call 416 973-4000.

Awareness campaign for French-speaking ethnoracial communities

In November, the Honourable Lincoln Alexander, chair of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, was our guest of honour at the launch of the Health Promotion and Prevention Action Plan for French-speaking communities.

In partnership with representatives from the target communities, the Health Promotion and Prevention Action Plan was developed to help increase awareness of mental health and addiction issues within ethnoracial/ethnocultural Francophone communities in Ontario, and to improve access for these communities to existing services. In response to the identified needs, one aspect of the plan was the development of a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) that are currently airing in the French media. This campaign is part of our broader "There is Help ... There is Hope" public education efforts.

To learn more about the project, please contact Antoine Derose at 416 535-8501, ext. 6904.

Christa Haanstra