The Foundation’s current priorities are:

National Awards for Excellence Program

A key component of the Kaiser Foundation’s work is its annual National Awards for Excellence Program. This program recognizes and supports individuals and organizations at a grassroots level for their extraordinary work in the field of mental health and addictions.   The categories include excellence in Indigenous programming, leadership, media reporting, public policy, youth leadership, community programming, and mental health and substance use programming.  Each year seven winners from across Canada each receive a $10,000 grant towards a recognized charity of their choice.

Indigenous Peoples Health Initiative (IPHI)

Canada’s North and First Nations, Inuit and Métis people live in unique communities that require specific programs that are socio-culturally and geographically appropriate to address their specific needs in mental health and addictions.

Only with the Indigenous peoples’ involvement, along with the private and public sectors, can mental health and addictions issues be resolved.

In partnership with AFN, Inuit and Métis representatives, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, and academic centres of excellence for mental health and addictions at the University of British Columbia, McGill University, and Dalhousie University, we are developing a five to six year program, not just another study, but a program that aims to make real change in the health outcomes of Canada’s Aboriginal people by supporting and nurturing community lead program development.

National Alumni Networking Program

The Kaiser Foundation has created an innovative nationwide alumni program for recipients of our National Awards of Excellence program. This exciting and welcome initiative will provide a unique opportunity for Award recipients to stay in touch with fellow awardees and to foster knowledge exchange and capacity building among participants.  The hope is to provide a useful network of allied professionals in the field of mental health and addictions.

Click here to view Alumni newsletter Kaiser newsletter Volume 1 PDF

Community Resource Webpage

The Kaiser Foundation has dedicated a section on this website called “Looking for Help” where people who are looking for immediate help can find province-specific community resources for mental health and for addiction issues on the site.

Public Awareness & Education

The Kaiser Foundation also helps to promote public awareness of mental health and addiction issues as a public health challenge and not a moral issue.   The Kaiser Foundation has produced several Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for network television which have reached across the country and works with the media to help get the message out.  In addition, the Kaiser Foundation presents at conferences, government seminars and to private industry to help educate on the scope of the problem and the corrective steps that can be taken.  

Some of the Foundation’s many other projects have included:

The Directory of Addiction Services, developed in 1987 as the first of its kind in Canada. The Directory provided essential information for people in distress who did not know where to turn for help. It has been widely emulated across the country.

Step By Step: A Prevention Handbook on Alcohol and Other Drug Use, first produced in 1988 to help administrators, teachers, parents, children and youth. It was mandated as a K-12 curriculum resource in British Columbia schools.

Weaving Threads Together, a 2001 report for the British Columbia Government on the future of addiction services in the Province, developed by a Foundation-led Task Group.

Sponsoring and collaborating in numerous symposiums on addictions and mental health involving participants from across the Canada and the United States.

Other Kaiser Foundation involvements include:

Addictions Research: Founding partner and continuing supporter of the Centre for Addictions Research of BC (CARBC). The Kaiser Foundation’s body of substance use research is now housed at this centre. Mr. Kaiser serves on their Advisory Board.

Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA): The Kaiser Foundation is an active partner of the CCSA, Canada’s National Drug Agency. Mr. Kaiser serves on the CCSA Board of Directors.

University of British Columbia Institute of Mental Health: Mr. Kaiser is a member of the Executive Advisory Board.

Collaboration for Change: A broad-based collaboration addressing addictions and mental health issues in Vancouver. Mr. Kaiser is a member of the Oversight Committee.

Inner Change Society: A Society supporting innovative treatment strategies for addictions. Mr. Kaiser is a member of the Board of Directors.

Round Table on Mental Health & Addictions: Mr. Kaiser is Co-Chair of the Neuro Trust for the Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health. He is also the Co-Chair of the Roundtable's Canada/US Forum on Mental Health and Productivity, founded by Canada’s Ambassador to the United States, Michael Wilson.