The meetings are more than just lectures. Well-attended and often lively - and popular with regulars - they allow family members, those with the illness, professionals and the general public to ask questions and get answers directly from experts and service providers. The question-and-answer interchange makes each session particularly valuable.

The series is advertised in The Notepad, the North Shore News, community notices, posters, and in the News and Events section on our home page. Any suggestions for new locations for our posters will be welcome. The Lions Gate Hospital Auditorium is located on the lower level at the southern end of the building, downstairs from the 13th Street entrance. Yellow arrows showing the way to the auditorium are posted on lecture nights for those not familiar with the hospital layout.

Addressing Metabolic Syndrome: Physical Health for the Mentally Ill
Dr. Jane Dumontet, Fraser Health, November 25, 2009.
Download Dr. Dumontet's slide presentation on metabolic syndrome here.  Call the Family Support Centre at 604-926-0856 for more information.

Recovery: A True Story
Tina Tomashiro, winner of the 2009 Courage to Come Back Award, Mental Health category, September 30, 2009.

Anxiety Disorders and Panic Attacks
Dr. Andrew Miki from North Shore Stress & Anxiety Clinic, April 29, 2009.

Mental Health Renewal
Joanne Bezzubetz, Director, Mental Health and Addictions North Shore-Sea to Sky; Monica McAlduff, Manager, Acute Care; and Pat Townsley, Manager, Child and Youth Mental Health and Addiction Services, February 25, 2009.

The B.C. Mental Health Act: Separating Fact From Fiction
John E. Gray, PhD, lead author of Canadian Mental Health Law and Policy, November 26, 2008.
PowerPoint presentation in PDF

Schizophrenia: Well Beyond the First Episode
Dr. Bill Honer, Jack Bell Chair in Schizophrenia Research, September 24, 2008.

Lost in Transition: How the mental health system is failing the mentally ill and draining police resources
Vancouver Police Department Detective Fiona Wilson-Bates, report author, April 30, 2008.
Lost in Transition - full report in PDF

Youth Concurrent Disorders
Carrie Lusztig and Ryan Santin from the Youth Concurrent Disorders Program, February 7, 2008.
North Shore Mental Health Services website

The Future of Riverview Hospital
Diane Thorne, MLA, Coquitlam-Maillardville, NDP Critic for Housing; and Maxine Wilson, Mayor of Coquitlam on their fight to keep Riverview from becoming another casualty of development, November 28, 2007.
City of Coquitlam information on Riverview Hospital

The Evolution of Mental Health Services
Rennie Hoffman, executive director of the Mood Disorders Association of BC, covered the history of mental illness and treatment, September 26, 2007
Mood Disorders Association of BC website

Estate Planning for the Mentally Ill
Ken Kramer, lawyer specializing in wills and trusts, April 25, 2007
KMK Law Corporation website

Police Helping the Mentally Ill
Const. Jeff Palmer, of the West Vancouver Police Department, and constables Jessica Plaus and Angie Foggetti, of the North Vancouver RCMP, Feb. 28, 2007.

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)
Dr. Joan Bishop, staff psychiatrist at Riverview Hospital and clinical associate professor of psychiatry at UBC, November 22, 2006.
Description of ACT program
Clinical references

Patient Peer Support
Gillian Walker OT, Community Psychiatric Services, and Amanda Schell, Squamish, September 27, 2006.

Family Involvement: It's About Time!
Steve Bornemann, MSW, MPA, April 26, 2006.

Stand Up For Mental Health Comedy Troupe
David Granirer, February 22, 2006
Stand Up For Mental Health website

Occupational Therapy for the Mentally Ill
Michael Lee, UBC School of Rehabilitation Sciences,
November 23, 2005.

Cognitive Behaviour
Dr. Tania Lecomte, UBC Department of Psychiatry,
September 28, 2005.

Discretionary Trusts
Nicole Garton of the West Vancouver law firm Sager Anderson, April 27, 2005.

Early Intervention: Its Results and Challenges
Dr. Bill Honer, Jack Bell Chair in Schizophrenia Research at UBC, February 23, 2005.

Genetics in Serious Mental Illness
Jehannine Austin, genetic counsellor, Early Psychosis Intervention Program, Fraser Health Authority, November 24, 2004. 

Weight Management for Diabetes in Schizophrenia
Dianne Allan, dietician, Diabetes Program, Lions Gate Hospital, September 29, 2004.

Rehab Tips for Schizophrenics
Punkaj Bhushan, recipient of the Coast Foundation's "Courage to Come Back" award and a member of BCSS's provincial board, April 28, 2004. 

Dual Diagnosis Work
Judy Burtnick, rehabilitation counsellor, and Jennifer Toomey, psychiatric nurse, with  Vancouver-Richmond Dual Diagnosis Services, February 25, 2004.

Best Practices in Mental Health Services
John Higgenbottam, associate professor, psychiatry, UBC, November 26, 2003.

Parenting a Child With Mental Illness
Keli Anderson and Donna Murphy, leading activists in the FORCE (Families Organized for Recognition and Care Equality), September 24, 2003.

Recovering from Mental Illness: A Patient’s Perspective
Robert Winram, former executive director of the B.C. Mood Disorders Association, April 30, 2003.

EPI: Early Psychosis Initiative on the North Shore
Caroline Lusztig MSW, counsellor, Child and Adolescent Program, North Shore Mental Health Services, February 26, 2003.

New Research in Vancouver on Schizophrenia
Dr. Bill Honer, Jack Bell Chair in Schizophrenia Research, UBC, November 27, 2002.

Magnolia House: A Community Crisis Facility
Sharon Griffin MSW; Dr. Tom Barnett, child and adolescent psychiatrist, September 25, 2002.

UBC Hospital Schizophrenia Program
Miriam Cohen RN, coordinator, Early Psychosis Intervention Program, March 27, 2002.

Bridges: A Self-Help Education Course for People with Severe Mental Illness, January 30, 2002.

Canora Club, Present and Future, CMHA Staff, November 28, 2001.

Synapse: An Electronic Health Record for Mental Health, Barnabas Walther, director, North Shore Mental Health Services, September 26, 2001.

Rehab Services, Present and Future, Kim Calsaferri, regional manager, Mental Health Rehab and Recovery, Vancouver-Richmond Health Region, March 28, 2001.

Psychiatric Housing, Heather Edgar, Coast Foundation, January 31, 2001.

Meds-Induced Weight Gain, Dr. Sean Flynn, November 22, 2000.

Personality Disorders and Schizophrenia, Dr. Chris Hunter, September 27, 2000.

Understanding the Symptoms of Schizophrenia: The Cognitive Approach, Dr. Todd Woodward, Calder Foundation grant recipient, March 29, 2000.

Respite Services, Brenda Blanchard, coordinator, BCSS Respite Services, January 26, 2000.

Discretionary Trusts, Peter Bogardus, Davis and Company, November 24, 1999.

The Future of Mental Health Services, Alex Berland, public administrator, Riverview Hospital, September 27, 1999.

Schizoaffective Disorder, Dr. Ron Remick, clinical psychiatrist, St. Paul’s Hospital, April 7, 1999.

Planning for Mental Health Services, Ted Bruce, director of policy and planning, North Shore Health Region, January 7, 1999.

Child and Youth Psychiatric Services, Dr. Catherine LaRoche, Child and Adolescent Program (CAP), North Shore Mental Health Services; Dr. Tom Barnett, Youth and Family Program, Lions Gate Hospital; Susan Leaf, Child and Family Service Centre, November 25, 1998.

Family Involvement in Care, Pat Lund RN, North Shore Health Services, September 23, 1998.

Review Panels and Review Boards, Bernd Walter, chairperson, Review Board, Forensic Institute; Allan Tuokko, chairperson, Review Panel, Riverview Hospital, March 25, 1998.

Mentally Ill in Criminal Court, Sheena Dumitrescu, People’s Law School, February 18, 1998.

New Research on Schizophrenia, Dr. Petter Liddle, UBC Chair of Schizophrenia Research, November 26, 1997.

Mental Health Services: Housing Options, Anne Paré, Greater Vancouver Mental Health; Marineview Housing Society, September 10, 1997.

Mental Health Services: Rehabilitation Services, Gastown Vocational Services; Arbutus Vocational Society and CMHA Club Program, March 26, 1997.

Mental Health Services: Continuing Care and Relapse Prevention, SIL Program, Malchow House of Marineview Housing Society, North Shore Mental Health Centre, January 29, 1997.

Mental Health Services:Acute Episode Care, Terry Doherty, Magnolia House; Dr. Werner Pankratz, Chief of Psychiatry, Lions Gate Hospital; Dr. Rick Millson, Riverview Hospital, November 27, 1996.

Mental Health Services: Point of Entry, panel including a family member, family physician, intake worker from the Mental Health Centre, and nurse from Lions Gate Hospital Psychiatric Emergency Nursing Program, September 25, 1996.

New Anti-Psychotic Medication, Dr. D.A. J. Irwin, UBC, March 27, 1996.

Childhood Schizophrenia, Dr. Pauline Lee, psychologist, Lower Mainland Mental Health Support Team, January 31, 1996.

Schizophrenia - The Genetic Factor, Jenna Scott, genetics counsellor at B.C. Children's Hospital, November 22, 1995.

Mental Illness and Substance Abuse, Jeanne Harris, Dual Diagnosis Program, Greater Vancouver Mental Health Services Society, September 27, 1995.

Differential Diagnosis of Schiozphrenia: Distinguishing Schizophrenia from other Mental Illnesses with Similar Symptoms, Dr. Chris Schenk, North Shore psychiatrist and clinical assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, UBC, March 22, 1995.

The Mentally Ill in the Criminal Justice System, Gus Richardson, ex-director of the Forensic Psychiatric Institute, January 25, 1995.

Wills and Estates, Gordon MacRae, wills and trusts specialist, Douglas, Symes and Brissenden, November 23, 1994.

The Court Worker Project, Marilyn Sarti, Mental Patients Assocation, court advocate for mentally disordered offenders, September 28, 1994.

Emergency Services and Responses on the North Shore, Rosalind Baltzer-Turje, executive director, Community Mental Health Centre; Sue Stewart, head, Psychiatric Emergency Nursing at Lions Gate Hospital; Staff Sergeant Harry Indrea, West Vancouver Police Department; Jamie Graham, North Vancouver RCMP; Pauline James-Groom, BC Ambulance, and others, March 23, 1994.

Housing and Rehabilitation: Celebrating Success, Darrell Burnham, executive director, Coast Foundation and Tom Scott, board of directors, Marineview Housing Society, January 26, 1994.

Outreach and Parternship: Familes, Professionals and Consumers Working Together, BCSS co-ordinators Marg de Lange, Marc Labrecque, Michelle Sudar, Harry Diggens and Marina Carlin; special guest, Gary Glacken, BCSS executive director, November 24, 1993.

Who We Are and What We Do, Anne Bowles, consultant with the Mental Health Services Division, Ministry of Health and former executive director, Victoria BCSS, September 29, 1993.

The Care Team Model, Roger Neill, social worker, Richmond Mental Health Care Team, March 24, 1993.

The Downtown Eastside: A Special Challenge, Barbara Perovik, mental health worker, Lookout Outreach Project (Sea View Rooms), November 25, 1992.

Housing and Services for the Mentally Ill, Lillian Toews, co-ordinator, Community Residential Program; Sherry Volk, support worker, Community Living Services, March 25, 1992.

Partnership Program, a partnership team, January 22, 1992.

The PET Scan and Schizophrenia Research, Dr. Campbell Clark, November 27, 1991.

Dealing with Schizophrenia, Dr. Philip Long, September 25, 1991.

One In A Hundred, Victoria BCSS video, April 24, 1991.

Restoring Skills and Self-Esteem: Programs That Work, Barbara Shatzako, director; Shirley Kolb, occupational therapist and Dr. Nick Sladen-Dew, psychiatrist, the Broadway Community Mental Health Centre, Greater Vancouver Mental Health Service, March 27, 1991.

Schizophrenia Diagnosis and Treatment in a Process of Change, Dr. Bill MacEwan, associate professor, Department of Psychiatry, UBC, January 23, 1991.

Mental Health Legislation and Review of the Mental Health Act, Dr. Hugh Parfitt, medical director, Greater Vancouver Mental Health Service, November 28, 1990.

The North Shore Community Mental Health Team, director Rosalind Baltzer-Turje and staff, September 26, 1990.

Contemporary Perspectives on the Treatment of Schizophrenia and Advocacy, Howard Morgan, vice-president of Advocacy, BCSS (then B.C. Friends of Schizophrenics), March 28, 1990.

Housing for Schizophrenics: Current Options and Future Directions, representatives from the Coast Foundnation, Marineview Housing Society, the North Shore Association for the Mentally Handicapped and a private group home, January 24, 1990.

Communication Between Professionals and Relatives, Allan Clarke, social worker, Riverview Hospital, November 22, 1989.

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