Canadian Mental Health Association N & W Vancouver

Description

Our Mission
The Canadian Mental Health Association a nationwide volunteer organization promotes the mental health of all and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness

CMHA accomplishes this mission through advocacy education research and service

Our Vision
Mentally healthy people in a healthy society

History

Our Branch has served the North Shore community since 1958 when a group of West Vancouver individuals led by Dr LV Crowley and his wife Rusty organized a social club called the quotWhite Crossquot where adults with mental illness could meet socialize and develop skills On May 26th 1958 this club became a Charter Member of the Canadian Mental Health Association Our first small office was located at Pemberton and Marine and by 1959 was open one evening a week as a dropin center for expsychiatric patients This became the first dropin center to be sponsored by CMHA in British Columbia

The center was 100 dependent on fundraising efforts that included teas bridge parties bake sales rummage sales and the Thrift Shop From 1966 until 1982 Betsy Lee was the first paid director of the North and West Vancouver Branch During the 1960s she spearheaded a number of educational programs in conjunction with the West Vancouver School Board In August of 1974 CMHA opened an Activity Center in response to the high rate of recidivism among chronically ill within our community Many individuals would be rehospitalized within six months of discharge due in part to the lack of community support and systems and services This activity center was called Corner House then Canora Club and continued to operate until August 2002

While our current programs and services differ from those originally begun in 1958 our commitment to reducing recidivism rates and increasing the mental health of everyone in our community remains