The Ontario Hospital Association’s (OHA) newly-established Suicide Prevention Standards Task Force has begun its work to develop mandatory suicide prevention standards for hospitals in Ontario. The OHA was asked by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to develop these new mandatory standards earlier this year.
The OHA Task Force will focus on establishing safe medical practices for patients at-risk of suicide.
The OHA Task Force will focus on establishing safe medical practices for patients at-risk of suicide. The Task Force will begin by looking at best practices in working with patients and those with lived-experience. It will examine current hospital policies and protocols for suicide prevention and assessment, and establish standards by 2016.
Chaired by Dr. Ian Dawe, the Suicide Prevention Standards Task Force includes CMHA Ontario’s Mental Health Works Program Manager Mark Henick, as well as the following members:
- Margaret Doma, Director, Risk, Legal and Medical Affairs, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton;
- Jennifer Brasch, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University
- Ann Pottinger, Director, Quality, Patient Safety and Risk, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH);
- David Koczerginski, Chief of Psychiatry, Medical Director, Mental Health and Addictions, William Osler Health System
- Beth Hamer, Practice Leader, Nurse Educator, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care
- Paul Links, Chair/Chief, Department of Psychiatry, St. Joseph’s Health Care, London and London Health Sciences Centre
- Simon Hatcher, The Royal Ottawa Health Care Group
- Penny Knapp, Founder of Survivor of Suicide Loss – Canada and Globally
- Mary Ann Mountain, Director of Community Mental Health, St. Joseph’s Care Group, Thunder Bay
- Paivi Kattilakoski, Accreditation Specialist, Accreditation Canada
For more information, read the official release about the project.