QSPC Negotiation Points: Not in Original Legal Form

NOTE:
The source document uses legal language that has been modified for the purposes of this list.

The following items were proposed as discussion points between CAMH and the Empowerment Council (at that time unformed). These were presented as requirements for QSPC's involvement in Empowerment at the CAMH whereby (unofficially) it was expected that QSPC should meld into the new Council.

1. a) The Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) should offer to provide the new Council direct participation at the CAMH Board, and at all committee levels.

1. b) [regarding mental health only] CAMH should allow "consumer/survivor" advisory committees to the CAMH Board on mental health issues. These committees should be allowed to sit on relevant CAMH committees, including the CAMH Community Relations Committee, Quality Assurance and Patient Care Committee and Ethics Committee;

2) CAMH should offer the new Council the ability to nominate 14 Members representing the client constituency (as voting Members of the Centre). These Members should be able to nominate two client representatives to the CAMH board;

3) CAMH should negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding with the new Councilproviding the new Council with access to the same types of information and reports that the CAMH Quality Assurance and Patient Care Committee has;

4) CAMH should allow the new Council to establish hiring policies and standards that are independent of those used by CAMH.

5) CAMH should develop a fair process to include clients (and former clients) in developing CAMH human resources. HR should recognize clients' experience as knowledge, and should incorporate empowerment as an element in personnel appraisals.

6) CAMH should agree to work with the new Council in addressing and resolving priority projects adopted by the new Council.

This is a list of provisions, requested by the Queen Street Patients Council in February, 2001, concerning the responsibilities of the CAMH to their Empowerment Project, and concerning powers of the new Empowerment Council (which had yet to be formed).

These provisions were presented as requirements for full QSPC involvement in Empowerment, but these do not include financial issues (eg. requesting a five-year commitment to funding), nor expectations regarding how the new Council dealt with internal matters (such as board representation per site).

Intro Letter to Negotiations:

Jan. 16, 2001

Transition Through Empowerment

The QSPC is in its final year. We’ve fought long and hard for psychiatric patients, consumers and survivors at the old Queen Street Mental Health Centre, and now at the CAMH’s Queen Street site. We hope the new client council will have even better positioning and resources to act as a voice for clients at the Centre.

As you know, our main concern is with the rights and opportunities of Queen Street consumers and survivors; however, we are supportive of all clients establishing a voice and setting up a new client council. As we give our funding up to this organization, we hope our work will be rewarded, our values and issues supported, and that we will be able to provide our experience in the foundation of the new council.

With this in mind, we have drafted and presently submit an Empowerment Transition Plan for your consideration. We hope to get agreement on some issues with CAMH liaisons. Other items mentioned in the agreement plan will be determined at the Task Force and client council levels, as stipulated therein. We hope to negotiate or to discover that our expectations have been realistic, and that this plan will assist a new council in its communications with CAMH

FINAL AGREEMENT

April 24, 2001

Funding Agreement between the Queen Street Patients Council ("QSPC") and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health ("CAMH")

1. Continuation of Funding

Until the Funding Stop Date (as defined in Section 2):

a) QSPC will retain administrative resources, an office, one outreach position and one administrative position, equivalent to one full time position, in accordance with present practice and arrangements;

b) CAMH shall continue to provide funding to QSPC at the current level (current annual budget of $58,968), which funding shall be used by QSPC in its discretion to fulfill its objects;

c) such funding shall be provided to QSPC in equal installments of $1,170.00 on a monthly basis; and

d) QSPC may dedicate its financial and human resources to any initiatives that it wishes to pursue within its objects.

2. Cessation of Funding

In accordance with the Empowerment Framework, the QSPC will relinquish its budget on October 31, 2001, or such earlier date as QSPC agrees (the "Funding Stop Date").

This Agreement is accepted on behalf of the QSPC and CAMH by:

QUEEN STREET PATIENTS COUNCIL
Mr. Leo Anter, Vice-Chair

CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH
Dr. Georgi Beal, Liaison Officer

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