Employers aren’t supposed to discriminate against people with mental illness. In fact, it’s often against the law. Yet employment discrimination happens anyway, and it’s a form of structural stigma. So what do we do about it when it does? Legal protection Canadian human rights legislation In Canada, provincial human rights legislation requires equal rights and […]
Mental Illness and Employment Discrimination Read More »
If you were around in the 80’s, you are probably very familiar with the message to “just say no” that was part of the overall war on drugs. In 1991, Saved By The Bell got on board with an episode that told viewers “there’s no hope with dope.” There was also the classic egg in
The Failure of the War on Drugs Read More »
NIMBYism is a fascinating phenomenon. NIMBYs, who think that something is okay as long as it’s Not In My BackYard, cover discrimination with a thin veneer of civility and acceptability. Among the many manifestations of this is with regards to social housing, including supported housing for people with mental illness. The NIMBY arguments NIMBYs’ arguments
NIMBYism and Resistance to Mental Health Housing Read More »
Social determinants of health represent those factors that, whether we have control over them or not, can significantly influence both physical and mental health outcomes. Differences produced by social injustice can (and does) produce systemic health inequities between rich and poor, with a “social gradient” in between. The social determinants of health The Government of
Why Social Determinants of Health Matter Read More »
Is access to health care a right that should be shared by all people regardless of socioeconomic status? Or is it a privilege that belongs to those who can afford to pay? Views on that seem to depend a lot on where people live. Growing up in Canada, all I ever knew was a public
Is Health Care a Right or a Privilege? Read More »
Far too many people with mental illness will experience homelessness at some point. Why is that, and why on earth is it acceptable? Risk factors for homelessness According to the Homeless Hub, 30-35% experiencing homelessness have a mental illness. Among women, that figure jumps to 70%. How does society allow this to happen to some
Homelessness & Mental Illness: We All Deserve a Roof Over Our Heads Read More »
It’s easy to think of feminism as something that’s solely about boosting up the status of women. I would argue, though, that feminism is something that can lift us all up. Gender stereotypes People may enact feminist beliefs in different ways, but at its core, feminism recognizes how traditional gender roles, stereotypes, and expectations have
Why Feminism Helps All of Us (Not Just Women) Read More »
When it comes to mental health care, or health care in general for that matter, a simple fact is that the sicker people get, the more it costs to treat them. Sicker people need more acute services, and they need to continue accessing those services for longer amounts of time. Acute care services are extremely
Why Funding Community Mental Health Care Matters Read More »
