CAMH again named one of Canada’s best diversity employers

Press Release

06.Apr.2023

CAMH has once again been named one of Canada’s best diversity employers.

For Vice-President Clinical Operations and Chief Nursing Executive Dionne Sinclair, the recognition did not come as a surprise. She understands personally the organization-wide commitment to making CAMH a welcoming and safe environment for staff and patients of all backgrounds.

“As Canada’s largest mental health hospital, situated in the middle of one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, it is vital that staff and physicians represents the communities we serve,” says Sinclair. “We know that stigma remains a barrier to seeking mental health care. If we want patients from all backgrounds to feel safe and welcome at CAMH during the most vulnerable moments of their lives, we must work to ensure that the staff providing person centered care also feel valued, appreciated, safe, and welcomed. “

The annual ranking by Mediacorp Canada notes several major workplace diversity initiatives taken by CAMH, including:

• Fair & Just CAMH initiative to place diversity, equity and inclusion at the centre of what we do, such as enhanced data collection related to diversity, equity and inclusion indicators including employee retention and career advancement for racialized staff.
• Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan outlining CAMH’s strategy to build stronger relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people at CAMH.
• Dismantling Anti-Black Racism strategy to ensure safe, accessible and equitable care for Black patients and families while also building a working environment where Black staff can thrive.

Another example of CAMH’s commitment to diversity, including neurodiversity, is our Employment Works! Program, which assists people with lived experience of mental illness in seeking employment, including at CAMH.

“Over the years Employment Works! has supported hundreds of people with lived experience to pursue their employment goals,” says program coordinator John Fernandes. “They don’t just find work, they recapture a sense of belonging and purpose. We try to be a warm contact to make the process of applying for positions at CAMH a little more welcoming.”

“We will continue to work hard on increasing the cultural awareness of the leaders, staff and physicians in the organization,” says Sinclair. “We know we are successful at having an equitable, diverse and inclusive work environments when all staff and physicians feel valued, appreciated, have a sense of belonging, and have an equal opportunity to progress in the organization.”

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