Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

A Reason to Hope.  The Means to Cope.

Accomplishments

of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

The Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia (SSNS) has achieved many significant milestones in advancing our mission over the past three years, including:

· standing at the Fatality Inquiry into the Death of Howard Hyde;

· receipt of a 2009-2010 Consumer Led Initiative Grant from the Nova Scotia Department of Health to: conduct a Train-the-Trainer Workshop for the Your Recovery Journey with participants from throughout Nova Scotia; deliver the Your Recover Journey program in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM); and develop a peer support group in HRM for people who live with schizophrenia/psychosis;

· 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 HRM 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 which examined the phenomenon known as excited delirium;

· appointed a member of the Abbie J. Lane Memorial Building (Psychiatric Hospital) Renovation Steering Committee;

· a Mental Health Court opened in Dartmouth on November 5^th, 2009, due, in part, to the discussions the SSNS had 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;

· supporting SASH (Situation Appropriate Supportive Housing), 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 CBC’s The National (Canada-wide, TV); 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 Globe and Mail (Canada-wide), The National Post (Canada-wide), The Chronicle Herald (Nova Scotia), Metro Canada – Halifax (Halifax), 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 various newspapers across Canada);

· a SSNS blog (www.blog.ssns.ca), launched in November 2006, has now received over 120,700 visits.