News in Health and Disability
Teen deaths shame us all
This Toronto Star editorial looks at the the aftermath of the death of a young man with mental illness who took his own life while in custody. It says that most of the safeguards and remedies advocated in the coroner's report following his death have been proposed -- but ignored -- many times.
Rare breakthrough on mental health
In her editorial in the Toronto Star, Carol Goar comments on the announcement by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police about their new guidelines on the disclosure of sensitive information about a person's mental health.
Ontario's scandalous non-care for the elderly
On paper, Ontario's system for taking care of old people looks superb, says Thomas Walkom in his Toronto Star column. But an event last week in Niagara-on-the-Lake underlines how fragile these standards can be.
Woman needing mental assessment spends two weeks in police cells, prison
Declared unfit to stand trial on minor charges, a middle-aged woman sent for a psychiatric assessment spent two weeks in police lockup and prison cells before being admitted to a mental health facility on Tuesday.
HIV infection not a death sentence: judge
An Ottawa judge's rejection of attempted murder charges against a man accused of knowingly transmitting HIV, saying it is no longer an "automatic death sentence," reflects medical reality and should send a message to police and prosecutors, Canada's AIDS experts say.
Ontario police to seal non-criminal mental health records
Ontario police chiefs are moving to seal off sensitive mental-health information from being disclosed when their forces provide background checks for job seekers or would-be volunteers.
Judicial review needed before psychiatric patient advocates transferred to CMHA
In a news release, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union says there must be a judicial review before the Ontario government moves ahead with its plan to have the Canadian Mental Health Association take over operation of the independent Psychiatric Patients Advocacy Office.
Letter: No conflict of interest
Steve Lurie, Executive Director of the CMHA Toronto Branch, has responded in a letter to the editor to Carol Goar's Toronto Star column, "Ontario takes a backward step on mental health."
Peel Region campaign highlights lack of health and social services funding
Peel Region has launched a community engagement campaign to draw attention to a lack of adequate provincial funding for local health and social services.
A call for photographs, drawings and paintings depicting poverty in Canada
Canada Without Poverty seeks submissions of photographs, drawings, and paintings depicting poverty in Canada, from all regions and perspectives.
