Partnerships
The NMHIN is a welcoming not-for-profit organization that collaborates with diverse communities, including the deaf community, LGBTQI2S communities, Indigenous communities, racialized communities, and marginalized communities. Our commitment extends to working closely with other small not-for-profit organizations, aiming to amplify our impact in breaking down barriers faced by organizations with limited capacity in successfully applying for funding. Through this initiative, NMHIN, AEBC, and TV-NYD will craft strategic plans and sustainable strategies. This ensures our relevant organizations can flourish, continuing the crucial work we are dedicated to. We prioritize inclusivity, cultural sensitivity, and an intersectional approach in all our policies and procedures, aligning with Gender-Based Analysis+ and a focused disability lens.
Over the past seven years, dating back to 2015, our partnerships with the following organizations listed below have undergone significant growth. This evolution is evidenced through our collaborative advocacy efforts on various projects and activities, including but not limited to the Accessible Canada Act, the UN – CRPD, and Medical Assistance in Dying.
National Strategic Partnerships and Alliances – Disability Organizations
Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians – AEBC has been an invaluable support in assisting NMHIN to identify challenges and ideas to improve the experience of blind people and those experiencing vision challenges. Members of AEBC have been an active participant in one of the first sponsored Emotional CPR training coordinated by NNMH that was offered for people from the Deaf and Disability communities.
British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society - International CRPD Working Group – The British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS) remains dedicated to the ongoing international project, actively participating in the submission process to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities regarding the List of Issues Prior to Reporting [Canada]. Furthermore, BCANDS is actively engaged in meetings aimed at responding to the LOIPR, strategically preparing for the upcoming review of the UN CRPD. These efforts by BCANDS play a crucial role in the continuous monitoring and effective implementation of the CRPD in Canada.
Canadian Association of the Deaf – The Canadian Association of the Deaf (CAD) plays a crucial role in supporting NMHIN by extending outreach to the deaf community for various activities and events. CAD's invaluable assistance aids NMHIN in identifying challenges and generating ideas to enhance the overall experience of the deaf community. Moreover, CAD is an active participant in meetings of The Mental Health Disability COVID-19 and Beyond Subcommittee, contributing significantly to collaborative efforts.
Council of Canadians with Disabilities – NMHIN remains a dedicated member of Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), actively participating in several committees, notably the CCD Litigation Mental Health Sub-Committee. We persist in our ongoing advocacy initiatives, particularly focusing on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD).
Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work – Ongoing participation on the Pan Canadian Strategy for Disability and Work.
DAWN Canada – We are thrilled to partner with DAWN Canada, collaborating on the E-CPR French Translation Project with support from the Quebec Government. DAWN Canada spearheads this initiative as the lead partner, funded by the Government of Quebec. The project aims to facilitate the translation of E-CPR into French, offering training for women with disabilities to deliver E-CPR across Quebec. Our collective goal is to extend the reach of E-CPR to French-speaking communities nationwide, spanning urban, rural, and remote areas from coast to coast to coast. We are actively working on several projects including:
• DAWN Canada – Rooting Resilience
• DAWN Canada – 'More Than a Footnote'
• 'Addressing Barriers to Exercising Legal Capacity in Federally Regulated Programs and Services'
Pan Canadian Disability Coalition – NMHIN continues to be actively engaged in the newly emerging Pan Canadian Disability Coalition (PCDC), and we will continue to work with both organizations of people with disabilities as well as individuals with disabilities to strengthen our position in the Canadian landscape. It is important to note that not all organizations receive funding from the Government of Canada and many individuals and groups are committed to the Coalition of the Willing on a volunteer basis.
People First of Canada – ongoing supportive partnership for the development of the E-CPR network.
Toujours Vivant-Not Dead Yet – Supporting the organizations to develop capacity and create infrastructure to transition to an incorporated entity.
NMHIN Projects & Subject Matter Expertise
Eviance (formerly CCDS) – Accessibility Shared Mobility Project in Canada.
IRIS - Partnering to dive further into a project called ‘’Addressing Barriers to Exercising Legal Capacity in Federally Regulated Programs and Services”
IAM – Institute for Advancements in Mental Health formerly Schizophrenia Society of Ontario. NMHIN worked collaboratively with IAM on a pan Canadian research consultation.
Creating an Accessible Canada – actively participated in the public consultations toward the development of the Accessible Canada Act.
Mental Health and Addiction Partnerships
Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) - Our alliance is made up of 15 national mental health organization representing providers and consumers including:
· National Network for Mental Health
· Canadian Counseling and Psychotherapy Association
· Canadian Psychiatric Association
· National Initiative for Eating Disorders
· Schizophrenia Society of Canada
· Canadian Mental Health Association
· Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses
· Canadian Psychological Association
· The College of Family Physicians of Canada
· Medical Psychotherapy Association Canada
· Canadian Association of Social Workers
· Psychosocial Rehabilitation Canada
· Canadian Medical Association
· Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP)
· Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA)
Mental Health Commission of Canada – as the CAMIHI Co-chair, our National Coordinator attends committees and roundtables Virtual Health Care and Apps.
Provincial Affiliations (Mental Health and Addiction)
NMHIN engages with provincial and territorial mental health consumer peer organizations from all five regions across Canada. This year NMHIN will work on creating stronger ties with our provincial and territorial mental health peer networks.
Addictions Mental Health Ontario is a provincial membership umbrella organization providing leadership and support to over 200 mental health, peer support, addiction and treatment service and support organizations. NMHIN has had preliminary discussion about mental health and addiction issues of diverse communities and participants including people from the Deaf community, LGBTQI2S communities, Indigenous communities, Racialized communities, and Marginalized communities.
Our Voice – Supported the development of a directory of Mental Health consumer organizations. Our Voice holds the history of the consumer movement and is home to the biannual publication of OUR Voice.
International Strategic Partnerships and Alliances
National Empowerment Centre - We are actively supporting a collaborative partnership to facilitate the implementation of Emotional CPR.
International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership – member of and participant in virtual events.
Our Goals Within a Partnership
The aim of our partnerships is to alleviate the social and geographical isolation faced by smaller disability organizations, a common obstacle for those lacking the capacity to apply for funding.
We have the following objectives:
- Strengthening the organizational capacity of partnering organizations to share resources, conducting evaluations, and measuring progress towards our common goals.
- Enhancing connections across the disability sector and promoting sector sustainability through collaboration to share resources, develop tools, and exchange knowledge.
- Engaging with diverse stakeholders to advance social inclusion for persons with disabilities, expanding the capacity of the partnership's organizations to address barriers to social inclusion by seeking partnerships that bring in a variety of perspectives and voices.
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