CAMIMH Hosts Annual Champions of Mental Health Awards Gala

OTTAWA, May 5, 2014 /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) will host the twelfth annual Champions of Mental Health Awards Gala at the Château Laurier in Ottawa. Each year, CAMIMH selects a group of Champions through a national nomination campaign to identify and recognize Canadians who have made an outstanding contribution in the field of mental health.

"We are so excited for this year's Champions of Mental Health Gala," said Florence Budden, 2014 CAMIMH campaign chair. "CAMIMH and all its member organizations are so proud to recognize these outstanding individuals and organizations as our 2014 Champions. We received dozens of nominations in all categories this year so the final choice was a very challenging one. However, we are all confident that this year's winners truly represent the best Canada has to offer in the field of mental health."

CAMIMH created new categories for 2014 to recognize the contributions of young people, the media, and in the specific field of workplace mental health.

"We changed the categories this year to recognize the amazing things young people and members of the media are doing to advance the mental health agenda in Canada," continued Budden. "Also, the field of workplace mental health was given its own category to demonstrate how committed CAMIMH members are to this very important area."

"Congratulations to all of our Champions of Mental Health and also, a huge thank you to our supporters in particular Presenting Sponsor, Bell Let's Talk, Premier Sponsor, Lundbeck Canada, and Gold Sponsor the Mental Health Commission of Canada."

The winners of the 2014 Champions of Mental Health Awards are:

Community Organization:	Artbeat Studio Inc., a community based, peer driven initiative providing studio space, classes and mentorship to individuals living with mental illness.
Community Individual:	Mr. Brett Batten, an individual who shared his journey with mental illness and his experiences with the correctional system to educate Members of Provincial Parliament and communities across Ontario. Additionally, he works to inform Federal Politicians about the topic of individuals found Not Criminally Responsible.
Media:	Ms. Mary Walsh, a nationally recognized comedian and mental health advocate.
Parliamentarian:	Dr. Harold Albrecht, Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga, who sponsored Bill C-300, calling on the government to develop a Federal Framework on Suicide Prevention.
Workplace Mental Health:	Mrs. Barbara Campbell, Mentor/Coordinator for the Men at Risk program dedicated to educating employees about mental health and ultimately reducing the stigma so that people will seek treatment for mental illness.
Youth:	Samantha-Maria Figueroa, Simarjeet Gill, Jennifer Pazdor and Stephanie Zabar, students from Sisler High School in Winnipeg, Manitoba and the Save Our Minds Project who are creating digital applications to provide information and solutions for families and parents who know someone who is experiencing mental illness.

The Champions of Mental Health Awards are made possible through the generous support of our sponsors: Bell Let's Talk, Lundbeck Canada, the Mental Health Commission of Canada and Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D). To learn more about CAMIMH's campaign and the winners, please visit: camimh.ca.

Established in 1998, the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) is an alliance of mental health organizations comprised of health care providers and organizations representing persons with mental illness and their families and caregivers. CAMIMH's mandate is to ensure that mental health is placed on the national agenda so that persons with a lived experience of mental illness and their families receive appropriate access to care and support.

SOURCE: Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health

To learn more about CAMIMH's campaigns, please visit camimh.ca or contact: Kalene DeBaeremaeker, E-mail: [email protected] , Telephone: [phone] | 613-857-1758