Canada’s national mental health strategy says peer support is an essential component of mental health services—but also recognizes it’s not yet seen as a core part of the recovery process
The Mental Health Strategy for Canada promotes peer support as an essential component of mental health services. In particular, it recommends an increased number of peer support opportunities and the development of national guidelines for peer support.
The Mental Health Commission of Canada recognizes that “peer support does work: people who have lived experience with mental illness can offer those in recovery substantial benefits. The development of personal resourcefulness and empowerment—the foundation of peer support—not only improves people’s lives but also saves money by reducing the use of more formal mental health, medical and social services. But to enhance the use of peer support, the mindset inherent in the healthcare system itself must first be changed.” (more…)
A report by Canada’s Correctional Investigator Howard Sapers has found that disparities in opportunities and outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal offenders continue to widen. Aboriginal offenders now account for 21.5% of Correctional Service of Canada’s (CSC) incarcerated population and 13.6% of offenders supervised in the community. The total Aboriginal offender population (community and institutional) represents 18.5% of all federal offenders. The situation of Aboriginal female offenders is even more concerning. In 2010-11, Aboriginal women accounted for over 31.9% of all federally incarcerated women,9 representing an increase of 85.7% over the last decade. 
The beginning of February marks the launch of the Provincial Eating Disorders Awareness (PEDAW) campaign and National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (Feb. 3-9, 2013).
Gail Boulanger is a coach and counselor for “vibrant living”
Carl Gustav Jung was a psychiatrist and the founder of analytical psychology