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 The
PPAO regularly engages in stakeholder consultation, public education and
information sessions on issues of importance to consumer/survivors of mental
health services, including least restraint, informed consent, privacy and
personal health information, and human rights.
Please
contact our head office or regional office for more information. | |
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automatic notice of updates using our
RSS feed.
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Welcome to the PPAO
The Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office protects and promotes the rights and
entitlements of Ontarians with mental illness through advocacy, rights advice
and education. |
We envision a society where the rights of all individuals,
regardless of mental illness or disability, are respected, protected and
realized. Read more about us and our mandate here.
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| Please Tell Us About Your Experiences in Obtaining Non-Psychiatric Health Care Services | |
Many consumer/survivors face challenges in receiving needed non-psychiatric medical care. If you are a consumer/survivor living in Ontario, the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office (PPAO) is interested in learning about your experiences in obtaining health care services for any non-psychiatric health problems you may have had in the past, or currently have. The information you provide will help us to better understand the challenges you face and to advocate for change in this area. Our survey is anonymous and voluntary and may be completed by clicking on the following link :
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| The Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office and the North Bay Regional Health Centre | |
Public Notice
On April 1, 2012, the function of providing advocacy services to the patients in mental health programs of the North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC) will be transferred from the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office (PPAO) to the NBRHC.
If you are an existing client of the PPAO, or a former client of the PPAO who has received services from the advocate in the past five years, your advocacy records will be transferred to the NBRHC. These records will remain confidential and will only be viewed by the advocate and the Chief Privacy Officer of the NBRHC. The independence of advocacy services will not be affected by the transfer.
If you have any questions or concerns about the transfer of the records, please call the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care at 1-866-410-5853, TTY 1-800-387-5559, or the NBRHC’s Chief Privacy Officer at 705-474-1200 Ext 2525.
Le Bureau de l’intervention en faveur des patients des établissements psychiatriques et le Centre de santé de North Bay
Avis public
Le 1 avril 2012, la prestation des services de défense des droits offerts aux patients participant aux programmes en santé mentale du Centre régional de santé de North Bay (CRSNB) sera transférée du Bureau de l’intervention en faveur des patients des établissements psychiatriques (BIPEP) au CRSNB.
Si vous êtes un client actuel du BIPEP ou un ancien client qui a bénéficié des services de défense des droits au cours des cinq dernières années, votre dossier de défense des droits sera transféré au CRSNB. Votre dossier demeurera confidentiel et sera examiné uniquement par l’intervenant dans la défense des droits et par le chef de la protection de la vie privée du CRSNB. Le caractère indépendant des services de défense des droits ne sera pas affecté par le transfert.
Si vous avez des questions ou des préoccupations au sujet du transfert des dossiers, veuillez appeler le ministère de la Santé et des Soins de longue durée, au 1 866 410-5853, ATS 1 800 387-5559, ou le chef de la protection de la vie privée du CRSNB, au 705 474-1200, poste 2525.
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| PPAO Commends Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police for Sealing Mental Health Records | |
The Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office (PPAO) today commended the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) for its new guideline protecting the privacy of persons with mental illness who encounter police as front-line emergency health care responders.
Until now, police forces across Ontario have been individually responsible for deciding whether to publicly disclose mental health information about someone who has been subjected even to a routine background check.
An inconsistent patchwork of procedures often led to unfair disclosure of non-criminal information on routine background checks and vulnerable-sector screenings, leading to discriminatory hiring practices by employers and volunteer organizations.
"By prohibiting the release of non-criminal mental health information collected by police, the new guideline is a meaningful step forward that will protect tens of thousands of Ontarians from stigma and discrimination" says Ryan Fritsch, the PPAO's legal counsel.
Vahe Kehyayan, Director of the PPAO says "We commend the OACP for developing the guideline in consultation with the Police Record Check Coalition and our office to better protect Ontarians with disabilities from criminalization and marginalization.”
For 28 years, the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office has provided rights advice and advocacy services to patients with mental illness in Ontario. In 2010, the PPAO provided rights advice 25,000 times and advocacy services to more than 3,500 clients.
Since 2006, the PPAO has lobbied government and police forces as Co-Chair to the Police Record Check Coalition. The Coalition has dozens of institutional and individual members including the Ontario Association of Patient Councils and the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division.
Fritsch said the PPAO is urging all police forces across the province to adopt and implement the new guideline. "Persons with disabilities deserve every equal opportunity to work and volunteer in their communities without barriers or fear of discrimination," he said.
The new Guideline will be made available to the public on the OACP website. The PPAO has also prepared a self-advocacy InfoGuide.
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| PPAO Launches Monthly Lecture Series, "Living your Rights" | |
Living Your Rights is a FREE monthly education series to introduce & inform those involved in the mental health system about their rights, gain a clear understanding of the core principles of mental health law & allied legislation, learn strategies for handling mental health law issues and network with leaders in the field & peers who share your challenges.
This first lecture, "A Guide to the Mental Health Act", takes place July 7, 2011 at 2:00PM at the North York General Hospital and features Stanley Stylianos, Program Manager, and Ryan Fritsch, Legal Counsel, Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office.
For further information and to register, email Theresa at Central LHIN C/S Network: clhincsnetwork@gmail.com or telephone 647-203-3726.
Presented by the Central LHIN Consumer/Survivor Network & the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office. |
| PPAO concerned with Retirement Home Act draft regulations | |
On April 8, 2011, the PPAO filed submissions to the Ontario Senior's Secretariat regarding the recently drafted Regulations under the Retirement Homes Act (S.O. 2010, Ch. 11). Certain sections of the Act remain inoperative until the Regulations come into force, including important protections on background checks and vulnerable sector screenings, the use of restraints in retirement homes, assessment and care planning with the participation of the resident, and the availability of rights advice to particularly vulnerable residents.
The PPAO raised additional concerns related to the potential use of covert medication and recommended that the prescribed use of restraints will inevitably lead to abuses without significantly enhanced protections. |
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