A coalition of concerned, consumer/survivors. academics, lawyers and individuals have said that there is "a clear and dangerous conflict-of-interest" in the Ontario governments decision to have a provincial advocate body for mental health patients transferred it to the control of the Canadian Mental Health Association - Ontario (CMHA ON), which is responsible for writing on mental health policy.
On June 29th 2011, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) announced its intention to transfer control of the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office of Ontario (PPAO) to CMHA ON.
The ministry claims this will give the office more independence from the government, and comply with the recommendations stemming from a coroners inquest.
However a variety of organisation and individuals feel that this is the wrong way to create independence for the organisation. They have formed a coalition that is calling for the ministry to support an agency with as much independence as possible for example, giving the PPOA a similar status to the Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth.
Members are asking that the CMHA ON support the fight for independence by standing behind and endorsing the position of the Coalition as many other orgs have done. The fight for an accountable and independent body for psychiatric patients has been a battle ongoing since the early 1990s when the NDP government created an advocacy commission at an arms length from government. However, the Harris government elected in 1995 immediately repealed the advocacy commission. “The need for on going advocacy and rights protection can not be understated,” says Lucy Costa of the Empowerment Council. “We all have loved ones who have come in contact with systems of care, or we’ll all be vulnerable one day ourselves and when that happens we want to make sure that there someone who can stand up and be the voice for the interests of a person who may be powerless.”
The Coalition wants to negotiate directly with the Ministry of Health and come up with a solution as soon as possible
For more information on the campaign visit: http://www.cippao.com
