Category: Uncategorized

Since moving to a remote workforce, Julia Read and her coworkers at CMHAWW Self Help and Peer Support Team have had ups and downs. They shared their tips for maintaining wellness while…

Allan Strong, long-time peer support advocate and Peer Support Coordinator at Choices for Change, shares his thoughts on the importance of maintaining one’s sense of humour through COVID-19  It has been six months of captivity because of the pandemic….

Dear OPDI Community,  We wanted to do something a little different this week as our NewsToGo Team steps back to navigate a new environment and supporting our community through COVID-19 becomes an…

Conference Date: Monday, October 5 and Tuesday, October 6  in Toronto Extended Proposal Deadline: May 15, 2020 We are excited to invite proposals in several formats for our two conference themes. All are welcome to submit a…

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day as declared by the United Nations is “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”. Marking the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for…

We need more funding for peer support initiatives in Canada.

Ontarians head into the New Year, more than a month since the November 22nd press conference that outlined social assistance changes. Apart from remarks by the Minister at that time that any…

As we ease towards winter and a full up-and-running provincial government, what can we expect?   Make no mistake; Ontario is fast becoming a defensive environment for people with lived experience in Ontario. …

Rachel Yard, Center for Health Care Strategies August 16, 2018     Coordinating Care for Individuals with Substance Use Disorders, a unique program in Pittsburgh’s Allegheny County, uses peer navigators to engage…

  It can be said that peer support in Ontario is developing in new directions recognized in the mainstream. A major reason recognized by peers and professionals alike is that “human connection…

The other day, I participated in a webinar for a draft presentation of Quality Standards of Care for Schizophrenia in the Community. As an individual with lived experience, my viewpoint was decidedly…

Among consumer/survivor initiatives and peer support programs, the word “integration” is often not a pleasant one. Why? Integrations bring several structural changes that are often contrary to the values and beliefs of…