News from CAMH: CrossCurrents Summer 2004
CrossCurrents
CAMH partners with MADD Canada on new publication
CAMH recently partnered with MADD Canada on Alcohol, Trauma and Impaired Driving, a document intended to serve as a single, fully referenced source of current facts on alcohol and trauma. To get a hard
copy, contact the R. Samuel McLaughlin Information Centre at 1 800 463-6273.
WHO report on neuroscience of psychoactive substance use and dependence
CAMH scientists contributed to the development of Neuroscience of Psychoactive Substance Use and Dependence, the first report of its kind published by the World Health Organization. The report provides a comprehensive and authoritative
summary of current knowledge of the biological basis of substance use and dependence, as well as the role of environment and
the ethical implications of new developments for prevention and treatment, including public health implications. A PDF of the report is available from the World Health Organization Web site.
Practical guide for police responding to people with mental illness now available in Ontario
In response to various coroners' inquests calling for practical guidelines to help police officers respond to people with
mental illness in crisis, the Ontario Police College drafted Not Just Another Call … Police Response to People with Mental Illnesses in Ontario - A Practical Guide for the Frontline Officer. This resource includes information on recognizing various mental illnesses, response strategies, relevant sections of the
Mental Health Act and other supplementary information. St. Joseph's Health Care London and CAMH provided input for the guidelines
and reviewed content.
CAMH printed the guidelines and has distributed them to all police services in Ontario. This long-awaited resource has received
strong support from the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. For more information
about this new resource, contact Reggie Caverson in CAMH's Sudbury office at 705 675-1195. Also, see www.oacp.on.ca.
CAMH president and CEO receives award from Schizophrenia Society
The Schizophrenia Society of Canada (SSC) presented CAMH president and CEO Dr. Paul Garfinkel with the 2004 Pacesetter Award for his extraordinary efforts to
reduce stigma and discrimination in the field of mental illness. Dr. Garfinkel accepted the award at the 2nd annual tribute
luncheon held by the SSC on March 25.
Pamela Fralick Community Information Forum on Addiction
As a tribute to the hard work, dedication and contributions of Pamela Fralick during her years as chair of CAMH's Board of
Trustees, CAMH has created an annual event called the Pamela Fralick Community Information Forum on Addiction. The inaugural
event, called "Youth, Drugs and Alcohol: Helping Parents Manage the Risks," was held in February in London, Ontario, and attracted
almost 400 people. Building on this success, the forum will occur annually in an Ontario community outside Toronto. For more
information on the forums, contact Rena Scheffer at 416 979-4251.
Christa Haanstra
Centre for Addiction
