Page 5 - UHN Centre for Mental Health Impact Report 2023

LEADERSHIP MESSAGE

Pushing Forward

Navigating Challenges and Cultivating Change.

etermination fuels our progress. At the federal level, our researchers And our newly created Mental Health
The Centre for Mental Health garnered prestigious recognition. Two Academy expands education offerings,
Dcontinues to forge ahead imple- teams, one led by Dr. Sarah Hales and providing professional development and
menting a strategic plan that advances the other by Dr. Joshua Rosenblat, public education opportunities (pg. 22).
the integration of physical and mental received $1 million dollar grants from the
health, designs seamless models of care Canadian Institutes of Health Research to While external recognition and new
and cultivates a strong program and study the therapeutic potential of psi- initiatives affirm our progress, our
culture. In the face of a changing land- locybin combined with psychotherapy. primary mission remains exceptional
scape and a global pandemic that has One team is working on end-of-life care patient care. Our unwavering dedication
strained the healthcare system, our team for patients with advanced cancer; the to improving the lives of those affected by
has exhibited unwavering compassion, other is focused on individuals with treat- mental illness remains the cornerstone of
extending care to patients, their families, ment resistant depression. These grants our work.
and one another. are the first of their kind in the realm of
psychedelic research, and epitomize the As we navigate the future, we embrace
In the past year, our commitment to groundbreaking work we are doing in the the challenges that lie ahead. The Centre Dr. Susan Abbey
improvement yielded significant rec- field, with UHN securing two of the three for Mental Health is soon to embark on Psychiatrist-in-Chief &
ognition at the provincial and federal available grants (pg. 24). a fundraising campaign partnership with Program Medical Director
levels. Drs. Hasan Sheikh and Kathryn the UHN Foundation (pg. 26). Together, Centre for Mental Health, UHN
Trottier were appointed Provincial Clinical Internally, we launched several successful we will enhance our resources and drive
Leads for Ontario Health’s Mental Health initiatives. The Substance Use Intervention forward the delivery of quality mental
and Addictions Centre for Excellence, Team, a collaborative effort across health care.
responsible for developing high-quality, multiple UHN programs, provides support
integrated and equitable care. We are to hospitalized patients with substance In dismantling barriers and sparking
proud to see their expertise and lead- use disorders at the Toronto Western (pg. change, we pave the way towards a
ership in substance use disorders and 14). A partnership with the Peter Munk world where mental health receives the
eating disorders, respectively, be rec- Cardiac Centre embeds a nurse prac- same urgency and compassion as any
ognized. UHN secured two of the five titioner within their program to conduct other aspect of well-being. Join us in this
available positions, and these appoint- mental health screenings and help us vital mission, propelling us towards a
ments will strengthen our alignment with understand the correlation between future where mental health care is truly
future provincial planning developments. cardiac and psychiatric care (pg. 12). transformative.

Ms. Marnie Escaf
Vice President, Clinical

UHN

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