Mental Health Works and the Ontario Human Rights Commission Team Up

Originally published in the Ontario Human Rights Commission Newsletter, October 11, 2011

Mental Health Works (MHW) is a program of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) that works to address mental health issues in employment. MHW offers presentations, training and workshops for employers across Canada on a range of topics, including:

• Talking with employees about mental health problems and addictions
• Promoting awareness of mental health issues in the workplace
• Overcoming workplace stress
• Employers’ rights and responsibilities relating to mental health in the workplace.

MHW and the OHRC worked together to include human rights concepts in its training materials and resources. We reviewed curriculum and training slides to make sure that concepts such as discrimination, harassment and the duty to accommodate were clear and consistent with the Code. MHW is currently incorporating these human rights concepts into their programs and services.