2011 National Awards for Excellence Winners

(Scroll below for photos from the Awards Recognition Event)

Excellence in Community Programming:

Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, (British Columbia)

Nominator: Donald MacPherson 

The Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) is an organization that works in the areas of public health, human rights and advocacy for better services for people in society who use drugs. A community-based, peer-developed and peer-run service organization, VANDU was borne out of a public health emergency in the 1990’s that saw high rates of Hepatitis C, HIV infection and fatal overdoses among drug users in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES). VANDU started with public meetings in parks and advocacy at various government and public events. It has since evolved into a key organization in the community representing the needs of vulnerable populations of people who use drugs, including those with a concurrent mental illness. VANDU operates a drop-in centre and provides a range of educational and support programs related to specific health and social issues. VANDU gave a voice to the voiceless, and has played an important role in changing the debate on drug policy in Vancouver and across Canada.

Excellence in Indigenous Programming

Peter Menzies, Clinical Head, Aboriginal Services, Addictions Program, Centre of Addiction and Mental Health (Ontario)

Nominators: Wayne Skinner, Judith Tomkins, Peter Selby from Centre of Addiction and Mental Health

Peter Menzies has a unique understanding of the challenges Aboriginal Canadians face. Growing up in an orphanage and child welfare housing, Peter was not only unaware that he was a member of a First Nation but also held many misconceptions about his people. Peter has experience in social services, adult education and counselling psychology, and his doctoral thesis was based on research he conducted on intergenerational trauma among Aboriginal men. He has been leading the way in addressing substance use and mental health issues in Aboriginal communities since joining the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in 2000. His core project over the past 10 years has been to build from scratch Aboriginal Services, housed in the Addictions Program at CAMH. During the past decade, this service has grown from being a good intention to a formal strategic priority at CAMH. Peter’s personal leadership and his gift to form productive collaborations with colleagues in the organization and in diverse communities are at the heart of this transformation.

Excellence in Leadership  

Sherry Mumford, Director of Clinical Programs for Addictions Services, Maple Ridge Treatment Centre (British Columbia)

Nominator: Trish LaNauze, Charlford House Society for Women

Sherry Mumford has been a leader in addiction services in the Fraser Health authority in British Columbia for more than two decades. While regarded by her peers as a determined and goal-focused advocate, motivator and educator, Sherry is also known as a skillful collaborator who can build relationships with researchers, communicate current knowledge back to her community, and work with stakeholders to translate the knowledge into evidence-based practices and services for clients. Sherry’s communication skills have helped the substance use field move forward and away from a place where there was some reluctance to revisit opinions about prevention, treatment and related matters. She has been instrumental in increasing the range and amount of support, funding and programs available to those suffering from substance use problems.

Excellence in Media Reporting  

William J. Macphee, CEO Founder of Magpie Media, (Ontario)

Nominator: Kathleen Batstone

William MacPhee is the CEO and founder of Magpie Media, and the publisher of SZ Magazine, a magazine devoted entirely to schizophrenia and related problems including substance misuse. The magazine is dedicated to bringing hope, dignity and support by providing inspiration and information about mental health issues. As a person living with schizophrenia, William uses humour and his personal experience in his speaking and advocacy engagements, helping people understand the difficulty of living with the effects of mental illness but emphasizing that people with mental illness can live productive lives if given the right supports. A successful businessman, William has won numerous awards and is widely regarded as a warm and inspiring human being whose compassion and knowledge of mental health and addictions is far reaching in our society.

Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use Programming

McGill University Health Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Addictions Unit (Quebec)

Nominator:  Gail Gauthier-Clinical Director MUHC

Since its inception in 1971, the MUHC Addictions Unit (Unit) has been providing Montreal’s English-speaking community with evidence-based treatment options for mental health and substance use disorders. Recognizing the complex nature of treating combined addiction and mental health disorders, the Unit has grown into a centre of excellence in providing treatment for dual disorders. The Unit offers consultation and ongoing integrated care for acute treatment and rehabilitation, utilizing a variety of cost-effective, innovative and evidence-based interventions. There is also a Day Program and inpatient medical detoxification. All Unit team members serve as consultants for general practitioners and mental health teams caring for clients in the community.

Excellence in Public Policy

Eugene Oscapella. Oscapella and Associates Consulting Ltd. (Ontario)

Nominator: Patricia Erikson, co-founding member of the Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy, CAMH

Eugene Oscapella is a respected lawyer, legal scholar and advocate with twin areas of expertise in drug policy and privacy. He has been a proponent of drug policy reform for over 25 years and has made considerable contributions in the area of harm reduction. He is a founding member of Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy and a sought-after speaker on drug law reform. For decades he has been providing advice, consultation, research and technical support to government and non-government organizations in Canada and around the world. He has also carried out research and published widely on human rights linked to drug prohibition, regulatory options for public health-based approach to illicit drugs, drug prohibition and terrorism, and policy specific to cannabis. For the last 10 years he has been teaching a course on drug policy issues at the University of Ottawa.

Excellence in Youth Leadership  

Vanessa Campbell, (British Columbia)

Nominator: Ryanne James, Outreach Coordinator UBC First Nations House of Learning

Vanessa Campbell has three jobs that reflect her dedication to helping improve the social conditions of young people. As Youth Outreach Coordinator for the Musqueam Indian Band, Vanessa designs and leads a variety of programs including Bridge Through Sport and Girls Group, a youth suicide prevention program. As National Aboriginal Site Coordinator for Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) Canada, she teaches parents on eight reserves how to read to their children. And as a teaching assistant at UBC Linguistics Department, Vanessa assists, marks and tutors students in the Musqueam language course. In 2006, Vanessa participated in a cultural exchange with a community in Ecuador. She also represented Musqueam during the Indigenous Youth Gathering at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, dancing in the opening ceremony and participating in a 16-day cultural exchange.

Excellence in RCMP Leadership

RCMP Staff Sergeant Rick Wychreschuk, Member Employee Assistance Program Coordinator (Saskatchewan)

Nominator: Chaplain Tom McCullagh, RCMP co-worker

A 42-year member of the RCMP, Staff Sergeant Rick Wychreschuk has worked in many areas of the RCMP, and for over three years he has been serving as Member Employee Assistance Program (M/EAP) Coordinator of the “F” Division of the RCMP in Saskatchewan. Living by the catch phrase “no call too small,” Rick consistently demonstrates his commitment to helping employees and members of the RCMP who are experiencing substance use problems, gambling problems and mental health issues by treating people in compromised situations with dignity and respect, training a network of volunteer referral agents across the province to do the same, and developing and implementing programs such as Mental Health First Aid. Also known for creating a work environment that supports people emotionally and psychologically, Rick developed a chaplaincy program for “F” Division that meets the spiritual and emotional needs of RCMP members and employees.  He is skilled at identifying and addressing gaps in support services, bringing Chaplaincy, Return to Work, Conflict Resolution, Fitness, M/EAP and Health Services together to the benefit and overall wellness of both current employees and veterans. 

National Awards for Excellence Ceremony

The Kaiser Foundation recognized the outstanding achievements of this year's National Awards for Excellence winners at the annual Awards ceremony held this year in Regina on April 28th.

Hosted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the event brought together individuals from all across the country to celebrate the extraordinary work of those in the field of mental health and addictions.

Attended by local and national dignitaries, the event provided an opportunity for guests to network with colleagues.

See below for photos from this year's event:

• Edgar F. Kaiser Jr, Kaiser Foundation, Founder, Chairman and CEO, together with his wife Susan Kaiser, Director of National Awards for Excellence Program
• Vanessa Campbell, 2011 Youth Leadership Winner
• Edgar Kaiser together with Lieutenant General Walter Semianiw and Deputy Commissioner Peter German
• Edgar Kaiser and Assistant Commissioner Roger Brown, Commanding Officer, RCMP Depot
• Awards event master of ceremonies, Terry David Mulligan
• Representatives from the Vancouver Area Drug Network, the 2011 Community Programming Winner, together with Dan Reist, Assistant Director, Centre for Addictions Research of BC
• Karen Minden, CEO Pine River Institute and the winner of the Community Programming Award in 2009, presenting Award
• Sherry Mumford, 2011 Leadership Award winner
• Representatives from McGill University Health Centre, winner of the 2011 Mental Health and Substance Use Programming Award
• Michel Perron, CEO of Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and 2009 Public Policy Winner, together with Eugene Oscapella, this year's Public Policy recipient
• Hans Krutzen, Vice Chairman of the Kaiser Foundation together with Rick Wychreschuk, winner of the RCMP Leadership Award
• Superintendent Greg Peters, RCMP presenting an Award
• Edgar Kaiser providing closing remarks
• Photos of guests mingling at the event