The Schizophrenia Society of Ontario has long been an advocate for people with schizophrenia and their families. Currently, our areas of focus for public policy and advocacy are: 

1. Access to Treatment, Community-based Mental Health Services, and Social Supports
2. Mental health and Justice Issues

Here is some information on what SSO is currently working on:

 Deportation of Persons with Mental Illness

 Evidence shows that people with mental illness are coming in contact with the law at an increasing and disproportionate rate. Though there are mechanisms which have been put in place to reduce the impact of criminalization on persons with mental illness, what has not been adequately addressed is the immigration consequences of this involvement with the criminal justice system.

SSO has released a discussion paper on the immigration consequences of the criminalization of mental illness. The paper examines the issues persons with mental illness face with the current deportation process, and provides recommendations to address these issues. To view this paper,  click here . 

Emergency Room Wait Times 

In August 2008, SSO released a discussion paper on Emergency Room (ER) Wait Times for people with serious mental illness. Our work on this issue continues to this day. SSO recently partnered with the Ministry of Health, provincial mental health organizations (CMHA Ontario and the Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addiction Programs), Quality Improvement organizations (OHQC, CHQI and QIIP) and others to hold a think tank on reducing ER wait times for people with mental illness. This forum, held on March 31, 2010, was intended to introduce a quality improvement approach to reducing wait times and avoidable ER visits. 

ODSP Advocacy 

SSO is pleased to be part of the ODSP Action Coalition, a grassroots coalition of ODSP recipients and agencies serving ODSP recipients. Through our work with the Coalition, SSO advocates for changes to ODSP that will help improve the lives of people with schizophrenia. Amongst these changes are increase in ODSP rates, improved employment supports, and better access to ODSP. SSO is actively involved with the Coalition, with our staff co-chairing the Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee.