Gail Czukar has accepted the position of CEO for Addictions and Mental Health Ontario, an organization of community-governed, not-for-profit agencies that provide a full continuum of services and supports to help individuals in Ontario facing mental health and addiction issues. Czuker will begin in this role on September 29, 2014.
Her experience in the addictions and mental health field includes serving as Executive Vice President (EVP) of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health as well as its General Counsel. As EVP, Czuker led a provincial team of policy and education specialists who developed important resources to build the addictions and community mental health system throughout the province. Her group also worked closely with provincial researchers who conducted the System Enhancement Evaluation Initiative for mental health reform.
Previously, Czuker undertook many challenging legislative assignments as Deputy Director of Legal Services at Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and as Manager of the Legislative Policy Unit in the Ministry, where she developed policy for mental health reform, including a review of Provincial Forensic Mental Health Policy.
Czuker has a distinguished record of leadership activities including:
- Mental Health and Addictions Steering Committee, Toronto Central LHIN
- National Drug Prevention Advisory Committee to the Federal Minister of Health
- Co-Chair, National (Addiction) Treatment Strategy
- Methadone Maintenance Treatment Task Force
- Associate Editor, Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
- Board President, Houselink Community Homes
Most recently, Czuker has held a leadership position in the primary care field as Executive Director of a large Family Health Team serving 50,000 patient in a high-needs area of Toronto.