Accomplishments of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

Road To Recovery: Supporting Families As Partners in Mental Health Care

The mission of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia (SSNS) is to improve the lives of those affected by schizophrenia and psychosis through education, public policy, and research. The SSNS has achieved many significant milestones in advancing our mission over the past two years, including:

• establishment, in partnership with researchers at Dalhousie University and elsewhere, of the Nova Scotia Psychosis Research Unit;

• a new Chapter of the SSNS established in the Halifax Regional Municipality which focuses specifically on supporting families and friends of individuals who live with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders;

• an ongoing evaluation of procedures for implementation of the Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act; including advocating with government and service providers, providing one-on-one assistance to families and friends of those living with schizophrenia / psychosis, and conducting education and support workshops on the Act;

• appointment, by the Nova Scotia Ministers of Justice and Health, of the executive director of the SSNS to the Expert Panel examining the phenomenon referred to as excited delirium;

• standing at the ongoing inquiry looking into the November 2007 death of Howard Hyde;

• a Mental Health Court is scheduled to open in Dartmouth on November 1st, 2009, due, in part, to the discussions which the SSNS is having with Nova Scotia Department of Justice;

• provision of a grant by the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia to deliver Strengthening Families Together at four locations in the Halifax Regional Municipality, in Amherst, and twice in Kentville;

• involvement in the development of guidelines for Advanced Directives and an Advanced Directives Handbook with the Capital District Health Authority; commenting on provincial proposals for Personal Directives with associated changes to the Medical Consent Act;

• establishment of a new support group in the Halifax Regional Municipality specifically for individuals living with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders; delivery of the Your Recovery Journey program will be an important function of this group;

• supporting Situation Appropriate Supportive Housing (SASH), a new program to create additional and enhanced housing to reduce homelessness and improve the quality of life of people with mental illness;

• in partnership with Cole Harbour / Eastern HRM Community Mental Health, administering the Janine Williams Memorial Bursary Fund and its associated bursary program;

• contributing to the renewal of the structure and function of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada, particularly to clarify its role in the Federation of Canadian Schizophrenia Societies;

• a member of Hiring Committee for the new Dr. Paul Janssen Chair in Psychotic Disorders at Dalhousie University;

• media coverage on the CTV National News (Canada-wide, TV); CTV Newsnet (Canada-wide, TV); CTV News at 6 (Halifax, TV); CBC News Canada Now (Halifax, TV); Global Maritimes Evening News (Maritimes, TV); CBC Information Morning (Halifax, radio); CBC Maritime Noon (Maritimes, radio); many CBC Radio 1 newscasts (Nova Scotia); as well as articles published in The Chronicle Herald (Nova Scotia), Metro Canada – Halifax (Halifax), The National Post (Canada-wide), or posted on the Internet by CBC.ca (worldwide), Canada.com (worldwide), or by The Canadian Press (worldwide, some of these stories were also published in newspapers across Canada);

• a SSNS weblog (www.blog.ssns.ca), launched in November 2006, has now received over 45,300 visits; and

• a completely redesigned SSNS website (www.ssns.ca) was unveiled in early 2007.

We know we have much more work to do, particularly:

• advocacy for those living with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders;

• promotion of better living conditions for these individuals;

• improving access to dental care and medical treatment (including early detection of psychosis);

• better support for families;

• monitoring of the new Mental Health Court system;

• education of professionals, the public, families, and those living with schizophrenia / psychosis about the Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act; and

• further development of our provincial network of Chapters.