CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION (CMHA), NATIONAL ANNOUNCES NEW CEO

OTTAWA, Dec. 1 /CNW/ - CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION (CMHA), NATIONAL OFFICE Board Chair David Copus today announced the appointment of Peter Coleridge as Chief Executive Officer of CMHA, National, effective December 1, 2010.

In making the announcement Mr. Copus said: "I am delighted that Peter is joining CMHA. He brings a very distinguished career to this position, with both professional and volunteer experience in the health and social services sectors. He also has extensive senior leadership and management experience in mental health and addiction, and is a high-quality champion of mental health.  As CEO Peter will further enhance the profile and strengthen the role of the CMHA in leading the transformation of mental health policy and services across the country."

Mr. Coleridge's most recent employment includes B.C. Mental Health and Addiction Services where he had served as its Vice President, Education and Population Health and Senior Advisor.  He led the development of a provincial plan involving a number of approaches including policy, advocacy, community-based services and public education, to reduce discrimination and improve understanding of mental health issues.  He also led the development of a comprehensive workplace mental health and addiction strategy for approximately 10,000 employees within the Provincial Health Authority. 

Mr. Coleridge said: "I am honored to join CMHA, this country's pre-eminent national mental health association since 1918. CMHA has a strong network of provincial divisions and community branches across the country, and I look forward to working with this great team to improve mental health policies and services for all Canadians.  We will build on our many partnerships and work closely with other stakeholders to change the face of mental health and mental illness."

Mr. Copus said:  "I believe Peter is the right person to be the next CEO of CMHA, National.  He is well-known for building and maintaining partnerships that ensure a range of mental health services and supports for all people, along the continuum from mental health promotion to treatment and recovery. He is one of the most experienced leaders in our sector, and it's a vote of confidence in CMHA and our strategy that he will lead this association into the future." 

Mr. Coleridge has held other leadership positions including: Vice-President, Communications, Education and Health Promotion, CAMH in Toronto; and senior management positions with the former Addiction Research Foundation, and the Health Promotion Branch and Substance Abuse Bureau, Ontario Ministry of Health.

Mr. Coleridge graduated with a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Memorial University in Newfoundland and received his Master's Degree in Health Science (Health Promotion) from the University of Toronto. He has also completed an Executive Health Leadership Program, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, in partnership with the Change Foundation and the Kings Fund in England. 

Mr. Coleridge is an Adjunct Professor, School of Population and Public Health and Lecturer, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, and an Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University.  He is also Special Advisor, Global Economic Roundtable on Mental Health and Addiction, a founding member of the Canadian Executive Council on Addictions, and serves as the Chair, National Board of Directors, Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange.

Mr. Copus added: "The board thanks Lorne Zon for his leadership and service as Interim CEO at CMHA, National over these past several months. Mr. Zon will now return full-time to his role as CEO, CMHA, Ontario Division."

About the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), founded in 1918, is one of the oldest voluntary organizations in Canada. Each year, we provides direct service to more than 100,000 Canadians through the combined efforts of more than 10,000 volunteers and staff across Canada in over 135 communities. As a nation-wide voluntary organization, the Canadian Mental Health Association promotes the mental health of all Canadians and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness. CMHA accomplishes this mission through advocacy, education, research, and service delivery. For further information, please visit www.cmha.ca.

For further information:

Kismet Baun, Senior Communications Advisor
CMHA, National
Toronto [phone], ext. 4141
[email protected]
www.cmha.ca