Mental Health Care Patients' Council

The Mental Health Care Patients’ Council is a voice for ongoing improvement of the quality of life and care of people receiving mental health care services at St. Joseph’s Parkwood Institute and Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care (Southwest Centre). 

Who we are

 The Patients’ Council is a group of individuals with lived mental health care experience, including inpatients, outpatients and former patients, served by St. Joseph’s Mental Health Care Program. Members generously volunteer their time, skills and experience to serve their peers through various social and educational activities.

The council strives to work in partnership with professional and clinical caregivers to ensure the best possible quality of life and standard of care is available both in the hospital and within the community.  

The Patients’ Council also has representatives who sit on various hospital committees and projects to ensure the voice and perspective of the patient is included throughout the organization. 

What we do

  • Gather information about systemic issues of concern arising within the Mental Health Care Program or affiliated clinics (an issue is systemic if it affects more than one individual)
  • Hold regular monthly meetings
  • Hold weekly social/peer support activities (i.e., patient drop-in centres and coffee days)
  • Present issues and opportunities for quality improvement to staff and administration and collaborate for positive change
  • Include patient representatives on mental health care committees, ensuring the patient point-of-view is included and heard in the organization’s planning and policymaking decisions
  • Act as an ongoing resource to patients and staff alike
  • Participate in the Ontario Association of Patients’ Councils, which brings Patients’ Councils together to work for change at the provincial level
  • Strive to erase stereotypes and discrimination associated with mental illness through education of patients, families, caregivers and the general public
  • Publish lived-experience stories and articles written for, and by, patients of St. Joseph’s Mental Health Care Program

To support the services and the work we do, the Mental Health Care Patients’ Council includes Chair and Vice-Chair roles, as well as a staff facilitator, to help coordinate its work and projects and to communicate with staff and administration.  

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