Language selector

Minds That Matter consultation steps (fact sheet)

Page controls

Page content

Minds that matter: Report on the consultation on human rights, mental health and addictions

Here are some key steps the OHRC took in the largest consultation in its history:

  • In 2009, because of widespread human rights concerns facing people with mental health or addiction issues, the OHRC designated mental health as a priority.
     
  • In 2009, wrote and released a consultation paper, got written submissions and did in-depth interviews. This led to a wider consultation in 2010/11, including:
  • In-depth interviews
  • Focus groups
  • Round-table sessions in Toronto, Windsor, Ottawa and North Bay (private sessions for people with mental health disabilities or addictions, and public sessions for people with mental health disabilities or addictions, advocates, housing providers, families, service providers, employers and others)
  • Written submissions
  • Anonymous online and mail-in surveys.
     
  • More than 1,500 people and organizations made written or verbal submissions, including roughly 1,000 people who had mental health issues or addictions.
     
  • Many community groups helped by hosting sessions, sharing surveys with their members, and advising on how to best consult with people with mental health issues or addictions.
     
  • We heard from people who identified with having depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, schizophrenia, postpartum depression or borderline personality disorders, or multiple disabilities. We also heard from advocates and family members.
     
  • We also heard from people and organizations representing people who had disabilities including dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s chorea, and from people with development disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.