Media Advisory - Workplace Mental Health Focus of George Brown College 14TH Annual Mental Health Conference

TORONTO, Feb. 15, 2013 /CNW/ - Mental illness is the fastest growing cause of disability in the Canadian workforce. How can employers and employees contribute to a psychologically healthy work life? This question will be examined at the 14^TH Annual George Brown College Mental Health Conference on February 25, 2013 at George Brown College, 290 Adelaide St. East, Room 406.

Hosted by George Brown College in partnership with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the conference will explore -- through experts as well as the personal experiences of those who have experienced mental illness -- the workplace environment and the issues faced by people with mental illness.

WHAT:	Themed "Humanizing the Workplace: Approaches to Mental Health Literacy and Psychological Well-being," the conference is targeted to those working in the field of mental health and addiction as well as human resource professionals, managers, and anyone interested in issues impacting the workplace.
WHO:	Media are welcome to speak with the following conference guests and CAMH and George Brown College representatives: Keynote speaker: Jan Wong - Award winning foreign correspondent, author and professor, whose most recent book is the autobiographical  Out of the Blue: A Memoir of Depression, Recovery, Redemption, and Yes, Happiness. Keynote speaker: Stephane Grenier - Retired Lt. Col, Canadian Military, who speaks about his own experiences with post-traumatic stress disorder and his belief in the power of peer support in the workplace. Stephane Grenier worked with the Mental Health Commission of Canada on a peer support model and following this, created a consulting company to help employers support mental health among staff. Keynote speaker: Dr. Ash Bender - Deputy Clinical Director of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program and head of the Work, Stress and Health program at CAMH.  Dr. Bender is a leading expert on dealing with complex mental health issues in the workplace and effective return to work strategies. Keynote Speaker: Martin Shain - Academic lawyer who has written extensively about mental health and workplace who was a lead creator of standards for the workplace on psychological health and safety recently released by the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Martin Shain is a consultant who helps private and public sector employers and unions understand legal obligations to maintain safe work places. Dr. Georgia Quartaro, PhD, Clinical Psychology, Dean, Centre for Preparatory & Liberal Studies, George Brown College
WHEN:	Monday, February 25, 2013
	Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
WHERE:	George Brown College, St. James Campus
	Financial Services Building, Room 406
	290 Adelaide St. East

To register: www.georgebrown.ca/mental-health-conference/

About George Brown College
Toronto's George Brown College has established a reputation for equipping students with the skills, industry experience and credentials to pursue the careers of their choice. The college offers programs from its three main campuses located across the downtown core, including its newest location at the Toronto waterfront which opened in September 2012. George Brown offers 148 full-time and 1,600 continuing education programs across a wide variety of professions to a student body of approximately 64,000 (including those enrolled in full-time, part-time and continuing education programs). Students can earn diplomas, post-graduate certificates, industry accreditations, apprenticeships and four-year bachelor degrees.

About the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in its field.  CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental health and addiction issues. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. For more information, please visit www.camh.ca.

SOURCE: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

For the full itinerary or to pre-book interviews, please contact:

Joyann Callender
Manager Media Relations
George Brown College
[phone] x3159
[email protected]

Amanda White
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
[phone]
[email protected]