February 19, 2013 (Toronto) – The Centre
for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has been named one of Canada’s Best
Diversity Employers for a third year in a row. CAMH was also ranked as one
of Greater Toronto's Top Employers for 2013.
"We are thrilled to be recognized as a top diversity employer again,”
said CAMH President and CEO, Dr. Catherine Zahn. “This award
affirms diversity and inclusion as values that are reflected in the way we
work, in ways we design and deliver mental health and addiction services.”
The Canada's Best Diversity Employers
competition examines a range of diversity initiatives covering five major
employee groups: women; members of visible minorities; persons with disabilities;
Aboriginal peoples; and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered/transsexual
(LGBT) individuals.
Here are some of the reasons CAMH was selected as one of Canada's
Best Diversity Employers for 2013:
- Equitable hiring
practices such as the Bias-Free Hiring Initiative and Employment Equity survey
and plan.
- Development
of a new mandatory course for all managers on diversity and health equity in
the workplace, as part of CAMH’s Best Practice Spotlight Organization
initiative with the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario.
- Extensive
education opportunities for staff on diversity topics including: Understanding
the Experiences of People with Mental Health and Addiction Challenges,
specifically designed for non-clinical staff; Harassment & Discrimination;
LGBT inclusiveness; and Aboriginal Approaches to Healing.
- An
organizational structure that supports diversity change management and capacity
building with a Manager of Diversity & Equity in HR, the Office of Health
Equity, and the strong engagement of the Office of Nursing and Professional
Practice.
- Development
of a mandatory ‘health equity impact assessment tool’ adopted by the
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care that will require hospitals to assess the
impact of planning decisions on marginalized groups and communities.
“CAMH
appreciates the contributions of its employees whose commitment to the issues
of diversity, equity and inclusion are reflected in their daily work, no matter
what their job,” said Janet Mawhinney, Manager Diversity and Equity. “Those
contributions have made CAMH a leader in the area of diversity and equity and
are part of how we bring the core CAMH values of courage, respect and
excellence to life every day.”
Click here for moreinformation on CAMH’s equity and diversity initiatives.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health (CAMH) is Canada's
largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the
world's leading research centres in its field. CAMH combines clinical
care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help
transform the lives of people affected by mental health and addiction issues.
CAMH is fully affiliated with the University
of Toronto, and is a Pan
American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.
For more information, please visit www.camh.ca.
Media contact: Michael Torres; (416)
595-6015; media@camh.ca.
-30-