A Re-Imagined Mental Health System.
Established in 2022, Converge responds to the urgent need for systemic change in how mental health services are accessed, delivered, and integrated. With over 90 organizations and individuals representing a diverse array of sectors and industries across Canada, Converge acts as an intermediary, supporting mental health providers, agencies, and stakeholders to identify gaps and collaborate on solutions, driving policy and technological advancements to support changes to the mental healthcare system.
The Mental Health Highway.
This highway leads to two places.
Hospitals
Justice System
We believe a new Mental Health Highway is one where there are no wait lists and clients are not re-traumatized by having to retell the same details over and over.
Converge has a re-imagined Mental Health Highway that includes multiple on and off ramps along with places for u-turns.
Along the highway there are places to stop. These stops allow the user to access different types of services at different price points. Now, imagine if these services were grouped together like a truckstop on a freeway, this would also enable improved information sharing amongst the organizations that make up the truckstop.
Looking at Mental HealthCare in a Whole New Way.
Where Compassion, Collaboration, and Innovation Intersect to Transform Lives.
Converge Mental Health Coalition conducts cross-sector research to identify breakdowns on the highway and deploys research findings and solutions back to the Coalition to build those on and off ramps.
Explore Our Initiatives
Public Policy
Education
Creating a Mental Health support standard for all Calgary Board of Education schools.
Technology
Holding quarterly virtual gatherings diving into a topic that Coalition members put forward.
Sector Research
Conducting market research to provide data for Coalition members to develop and make the business case for the work they do.
Events
Holding an annual symposium tying together the research findings.
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Join us in our transformative journey to improve lives and create a better Canada.
join the coalitionOur Coalition Members
Converge Mental Health Coalition provides a national platform for Mental Health providers and agencies operating within, and adjacent to, the Mental Health sector to share their ideas and catalyze large-scale, system-level change across the country.
In 2021, a report commissioned by the Hunter Family Foundation stated the need for intersectional conversations within the Mental Health ecosystem. The initial group of 8 partners grew quickly to 90 people and organizations representing a variety of sectors and industries from across Canada. The national scope was intentional given that every province was experiencing the same challenges and barriers in their respective Mental Health sectors. In spring 2022, the group formalized Converge as a federal non-profit corporation.
Our Board
Converge is led by industry experts from across Canada in a variety of fields that touch the Mental Health space; from Justice to Education to Indigenous Health, for-profit, nonprofit, government and those with lived experience are represented in our leadership.
chair
Mona Hunter
Hunter Family Foundation
directors
Alana Salsberg
Strategic Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement Lead
Frayme
Andréanne Deschamps
Vice President of Clinical Services & Chief Clinical Officer
Jeunesse, J'écoute / Kids Help Phone
Chief Dale McFee
Chief of Police
Edmonton Police Service
David Grauwiler
Executive Projects Specialist
Bissell Centre
Karen Macdonald, CPA, CA, FEA
Executive Director
Viewpoint Foundation
Paul Arnold, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Director, The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education
University of Calgary
Peyasu Wuttunee
Manager
Maskwacis Counselling and Support Services
Quentin Broad
Board Member
CAA Club Group
Robbie Babins-Wagner, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
Calgary Counselling Centre
the converge working groups:
Our Working Groups Are Changing the Game by Coming Together Across Sectors to Make an Impact.
Technology and Mental Health
While this group may develop its own projects, it most commonly serves to support the activities of the other Working Groups, through the recommendation and/or development of technological systems and platforms as well as the sourcing of vendors. This group will seek leverage points within the tech sector to invoke system-level change.
Public Policy and Mental Health
This Working Group adapts the work from the other committees into Policy Papers for government bodies and other interested parties. Direct market research of Mental Health ecosystem players is part of the work that the Policy group may undertake from time to time.
Education and Mental Health
This Working Group identifies resources, gaps, needs, opportunities and potential solutions to advance Mental Health for students as well as professional outreach for those working in the school systems.
Research
This group will evaluate the efficacy of Converge, and examine if the organization's activities are building the necessary and improved access points to Mental Healthcare. It will also identify and help source research vendors and partners that will support the activities of the other working groups.
Our Funders & Partners:
