Vision & Mission

Our Vision: mentally healthy people in a healthy society

Our Mission

As the nation-wide leader and champion for mental health, CMHA facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve mental health and community integration, build resilience and support recovery from mental illness.

In BC, mental health, substance use and addictive behaviour are within scope of the organization.

To learn more about CMHA's vision, mission and strategic goals, read Strengthening Our Collective Impact: A Strategic Plan for CMHA 2012-2017.

Learn more about the rules that govern our organization in our CMHA BC Bylaws.

Our key values and principles

• Embracing the voice of people with mental health issues (in BC includes people with addictions)
• Promoting inclusion
• Working collaboratively
• Influencing the social determinants of health (e.g. housing, justice)
• Focusing on the mental health of all age groups
• Using evidence to inform our work
• Being transparent and accountable

The Framework for Support

The Framework is the central philosophy guiding the activities of CMHA. This philosophy holds that the person experiencing mental illness is at the centre of any supportive mental health system.

The Community Resource Base outlines a range of possible resources in addition to the formal mental health system which can provide support to a person with mental illness. Housing, income, work and education represent four basic elements of citizenship.

The ultimate goal of the Framework is to ensure that people with serious mental health problems live fulfilling lives in the community. The Framework for Support is referred to as the most comprehensive model for mental health planning by federal and provincial governments as well as by the Centre for Community Change in the US, and the Government of Ireland.