CAMH Continues to Build Momentum for Mental Health

It was a year of tremendous achievement and well-deserved celebration at CAMH. We continue to work hard to realize our vision of creating equity and justice for people with mental illness. We are thrilled to take this time to look back fondly on what we’ve accomplished together, while also looking ahead with great excitement at what’s next.

This past summer, CAMH achieved the highest international standing for its electronic medical record, becoming only the second hospital in Canada to receive this prestigious designation. It acknowledges that our world-leading clinical enterprise is built on first-class health information technology.

In the fall, Prince Harry visited CAMH’s Queen and Ossington campus, listening and learning with leading researchers and clinicians. He also enjoyed some private time meeting with young people struggling with mental illness, including addictions. His historic visit represents an important partnership in ending the stigma of mental illness.

CAMH also broke ground on two new buildings to kick off the biggest and boldest phase of our Queen Street Redevelopment yet. Slated to open in 2020, the McCain Complex Care and Recovery Centre and the Crisis and Critical Care Building will revolutionize recovery-oriented care for patients and families for generations to come.

CAMH Foundation recorded a banner year, which saw the Breakthrough Campaign soar past its original goal of $200 million to raise more than $285 million. In early 2018, CAMH was entrusted with an unprecedented $100-million philanthropic gift toward research and innovation—the largest donation to mental health in Canadian history. Throughout 2017-2018, we celebrated the launch of three new donor-funded centres of innovation—the Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, the Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry and the Azrieli Centre for Adult Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Mental Health—that will further accelerate our efforts to unravel the mysteries of the brain.

These accomplishments are a testament to the generosity of our donors and to more people standing up and speaking out for better mental health care for all. Throughout this report, you will find many stories of our shared success and the impact of your support.

All of this hard-won progress brings us to the year in which CAMH celebrates its 20th anniversary of service to Canadians. We are in a once-in-a-lifetime position to build on the momentum that we’ve created with our new awareness campaign: Mental Health Is Health. It’s time to show—more than ever before—that mental health matters to all Canadians.

Together, we’re leading a movement for change. Thank you for standing with us.