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Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) is a national, not for profit, consumer driven, voluntary health charity committed to ensuring that the voices of consumers, family members and caregivers are heard on issues relating to mental health and mental illness; and in particular with regard to depression, bipolar illness and other associated mood disorders. Learn More About Us
 

CampaignsDEFEAT DEPRESSION
CAMPAIGN

This year, the Pan-Canadian Defeat Depression campaign has seen some tremendous growth and success across Canada. Now in its third year running, Defeat Depression has seen a rise in national participation levels, additional innovative efforts to reduce stigma, and stronger local fundraising returns. In spring 2014 alone, we saw a total of 52 locations host events raising well over $100,000 in support of local mental health services. Read More 
WANT TO GET INVOLVED?
HERE'S HOW:

Whether you want to do something in your home, with friends, at a school, in the workplace or if you would like to hold a Defeat Depression event in your gym or with a sports team, you can help make a real difference!

 
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CAMPAIGN NEWS


Dave Gallson, Associate Executive Director, MDSC, and
Defeat Depression volunteer Lori Glibbery present fundraising proceeds from the spring Sudbury Defeat Depression Walk to CMHA Sudbury-Manitoulin staff.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Thank you to our national sponsors. With your help, we are assisting local non-profit organizations to fundraise in support of their community programs and services - 75% of funds raised go to the local mental health organizations for their services. The remaining funds are used to support education, awareness, stigma reduction, resource development, and administration of initiatives that support their campaigns. Thank you for your valuable contributions as we strive to improve mental health in Canada. Learn More.

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM ANTI-STIGMA CAMPAIGN

Developed by MDSC in 2006, the Elephant in the Room campaign is now in thousands of businesses, schools and homes across the country. The campaign has also grown internationally through a partnership with Praxis Care in Ireland and the U.K.  

 

We are happy to announce that a group of employees working in the Agency Relations Division at the Ministry of the Attorney General, Vineyard School, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, United Steelworkers Sudbury, Discovery Ranch and Support works / Peer Support, Calgary have all recently joined the campaign! A very special welcome goes out to Waterloo Catholic District School Board who have implemented the Elephant in the Room campaign throughout their 52 schools this fall! In Sudbury, we have also been working together on implementing the campaign with four school boards and the Northern Ontario Suicide Prevention Network. Learn More About Elephant in the Room  

 

To customize the campaign to suit your specific needs, employers, organizations and schools can contact us directly at info@mooddisorderscanada.ca. Join us and order your elephant here .   

 

Follow us on Twitter

Tweet it! Share a photo of your elephant with @MDSC_Elephant  

 

WORK WITH US

Work With Us is a three year initiative that is being spearheaded collaboratively by  
Mood Disorders Society of Canada and The Arthritis Society. The program is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Social Development Partnerships Program.

Work With Us has now been offered to over 50 major private and public sector employers across five provinces. Some of the most recent delivery partners include Upper Canada District School Board, Hamilton Health Sciences, Ipsos Canada and Dalhousie University.

The program has been featured on the Human Resources Management Association's
Respectful Workplace Centre, the Mental Health Commission of Canada's page on Canada's  National Standard for Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace and in Thomson Reuters'  Canadian Occupational Safety Magazine. 

 

PeerSupportNEW MDSC PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM & MDSC MEMBERS

Mood Disorders Society of Canada is very proud of our new MDSC Special Advisors for Peer Support Services. MDSC offers professional resources to help you with the development of a Peer Support program developed for your association. We provide Peer Support presentations, training, peerselection, and ongoing support for Peer teams. Our exceptional advisors are now available to work closely with organizations to develop tailored Peer Support programs developed specifically with your individualized requirements in mind.

The MDSC Peer Support Team:

Staff Sergeant (Ret'd.) Sylvio (Syd) A Gravel, M.O.M. ...About
Staff Sergeant (Ret'd.) Brad McKay ...About

Kristina Hulton, Health and Wellness Specialist ...About  

Dr. Jeff Morley, Registered Psychologist ...About
Rae-Lynne Dicks, BA-Criminology, MA-Criminal Justice (British Columbia) ...About
Deanna Lennox, War Horse Awareness Foundation, (Alberta) ...About
Sergeant Kurt Grant ...About
Dr. Barbara Anschuetz ...About
Joddie Walker, MS, CTS, D.A.A.E.T.S. ...About

There is no substitute for being among people who are going through the same things as you are. A peer can offer an employee a unique kind of support and a peer support team can be created to compliment clinical care that may already be available to employees through employee assistance programs.
 
Please contact us directly at peersupport@mooddisorderscanada.ca with any inquiries about this unique support offering.
 

MDSC DISCUSSION FORUM-PEER SUPPORT

MDSC provides a safe virtual place to discuss mental illness issues in a supportive environment through our online Discussion Forum.  This continues to be one of the most visited places on our website, as it closes in on 28,000 posts and more than 1,850 discussion threads. If you are looking for a safe place to share your experiences, seek peer support, or offer your knowledge to others, we encourage you to join the Forum here.
Resources

NEW MDSC WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH GUIDE

Mood Disorders Society of Canada is now releasing a new addition to its public education series. Mental Health in the Workplace, is a resource booklet based on the survey results from Canadian employees and employers who revealed their perceptions of mental illness from their own experiences or observations of co-workers.
 

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGY

The Mental Health Commission of Canada estimates show that 1.2 million Canadian children and youth are affected by mental illness, but fewer than 20% receive proper treatment. These findings also reflect that more than two-thirds of adults living with a mental health problem reported having symptoms that first presented while they were young. MDSC recognizes how important it is for youth to engage and be proactive in supporting their own mental health.
Education
MDSC MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS

National Anti-Stigma Training Program for
Nurses and other Health Care Professionals
MDSC, in partnership with the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) have been working together to develop a new, national mental health awareness and anti-stigma training program for Nurses and other Health Care Professionals. Learn More 



Canadian Lawyers Mental Health Program 
Based on a new and dynamic partnership between MDSC, the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) and Bell Let's Talk, the Canadian Lawyers Mental Health program is aimed at helping lawyers better understand how mental health matters. Learn More



A National PTSD Training Program for Family and Specialists
MDSC, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the Canadian Depression Research and Intervention Network (CDRIN) are very pleased to launch an online Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Continuing Medical Education (CME) training program for Canadian physicians and specialists. Learn More 




PARTNERSHIPS

RxHelp and innoviCares
A reminder to our many followers that we were pleased to continue our partnerships with both RxHelp and innoviCares allowing better access to brand name prescriptions. 



Did You Know... 
#308conversations is a grassroots campaign spearheaded by the Mental Health Commission of Canada that invites each of Canada's 308 Members of Parliament (MPs) to lead a conversation in their ridings about suicide prevention. Learn more about this groundbreaking campaign here.


Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) 
MDSC is a proud founding member of the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) - a national collaboration of associations representing health care providers, service providers, organizations representing persons with mental health issues, and family groups. Mental Illness Awareness Week took place on October 5-11th 2014 and was a huge success.

 
UPCOMING CONFERENCES

Canadian Depression Research & Intervention Network (CDRIN)  
CDRIN is a collaborative cross-Canada network with the mission to create and share knowledge that leads to more effective prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of depression and depression-linked illnesses and leading ultimately to a reduction in stigma. Learn More

Canadian Educators Conference on Mental Health 2015 
The Mood Disorders Society of Canada - in partnership with Educators- is pleased to announce the 1st annual CANADIAN EDUCATORS CONFERENCE ON MENTAL HEALTH. This inaugural conference is being held at the Delta Ottawa Hotel in the heart of Ottawa on Thursday, April 23rd and Friday, April 24th, 2015. Learn More

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS

MDSC would like to extend a very sincere thank you to all of the donors who have supported us this year. While space limitations prevent us from listing the hundreds of organizations and individuals who are donating to our work, we want each and every one of you to know that your ongoing assistance is greatly appreciated and much needed so that we can continue to help lead significant improvements in the supports, care and resources available for the millions of Canadians who are impacted by mental health issues. Your continued support allows us to create programs and resources that local communities access and use to help families across the country.






Positive change begins at home; please make sure to talk with your family about mental health.