The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health Welcomes Nominations for the 2015 Champions of Mental Health Awards

OTTAWA, Jan. 27, 2015 /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) has officially opened nominations for the Champions of Mental Health Awards for 2015.  Each year, CAMIMH seeks nominations from the public for individuals and organizations that deserve to be recognized for their efforts in advancing the mental health agenda in Canada.

For 2015, nominations will be accepted in the following categories:

Youth- Any Canadian 21 and younger who has shown leadership in his or her community in promoting mental health and or mental illness awareness, or any organizations dedicated to providing services for youth.
Media- Any media personality or outlet who has contributed to public awareness of mental health or mental illness awareness
Workplace Mental Health- Any employer or employee who has contributed to creating a mentally healthy workplace for staff
Community Organization- Any organization that has provided great public service to community members experiencing mental illness
Community Individual- Any person, who through personal commitment has increased awareness about mental illness or reduced stigma in his or her community
Parliamentarian- Any provincial or federal Parliamentarian who has advanced the mental health agenda in Canada
Researcher or Clinician- Anyone who through their work as a researcher or clinician has advanced the mental health agenda in Canada

"The Champions of Mental Health Awards continue to grow each year," said Florence Budden, CAMIMH Campaign Chair 2015. "There are new categories and each year we receive a growing number of nominations. Canadians across the country are making mental health a priority and we are so proud to honour the inspiring work being done to raise awareness about mental illness."

The annual Champions of Mental Health Awards gala bring together political decision makers, business leaders, members of the national media, sponsors and other stakeholders to celebrate individuals and organizations whose outstanding contributions have earned them the accolade as Champions of Mental Health. The gala, presented by Bell as part of the Bell Let's Talk mental health initiative, will be held May 5^th, 2015 at the Shaw Convention Centre in Ottawa. CAMIMH would like to recognize its corporate sponsors who make the Champions Awards a success each year, in particular Bell (Presenting Sponsor), Lundbeck Canada (Premier Sponsor), and the Mental Health Commission of Canada (Gold Sponsor).

CAMIMH encourages Canadians to recognize their peers by completing the short online nomination form.

"We believe it's really important to recognize the researchers, the community organizations, the members of the media and all the devoted mental health advocates for such dedication to raising awareness and providing services for individuals living with mental illness.  These awards are a national reminder that we need to continue to raise the profile of the 1 in 5 Canadians who will experience mental illness in a given year."

To nominate a Champion, please visit camimh.ca for details.  Submissions will be accepted until February 27^th, 2015.

Bell Let's Talk Day is January 28
On January 28, for every text message, wireless and long distance call made by Bell Canada and Bell Aliant customers, every tweet using #BellLetsTalk, and every Facebook share of that day's Bell Let's Talk Day image at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk, Bell will donate 5 cents more to Canadian mental health programs. For more information, visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

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

Kalene DeBaeremaeker, Champions of Mental Health Awards Committee, Tel. : [phone] Email: [email protected]