7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.        Breakfast

8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.        Opening Remarks

8:15 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.        Session 1: Issues and Solutions:  Mental Health in the Workplace – An Overview

$51 billion: the annual cost of mental illness to the Canadian economy. This presentation will review the business case for paying attention to mental health in the workplace; outline the issues faced by supervisors and employees; and provide practical strategies that can help workers and managers while maintaining business productivity. You will hear from real Canadians who live—and work well—with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
Presenter: Lynn Spence, Director of Branch Development and Support, Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division
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8:45 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.        Session 2: Physical Health: An Important Factor in Mental Health

Physical health is fundamentally linked with mental health, wellbeing and workforce performance. This highly interactive session will challenge participants to reexamine their organization’s approach to employee health, and identify pivotal actions to effectively promote a healthy workplace that supports behaviour change, sustainable outcomes and cost control.
Presenter: Michael Kennedy, Regional Director, Business Development, Western Canada, Shepell-fgi
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This session made possible by Shepell-fgi.

9:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.        Networking Break

9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.     Session 3: The Bitter Taste of Black Bile

Depression is one of the commonest illnesses in Canada today. Depression has been recognized in all cultures and for many thousands of years. Hippocrates described depression and thought it was due to an excess of “black bile” hence the term “melancholia”. Dr. Young will present an update on our current understanding of depression.
Presenter: Professor Allan Young, Director of the Institute of Mental Health and Leading Edge Endowment Fund Endowed Chair in Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia.
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This session made possible by Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada.

10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.        Session 4: Major Depression in the Workplace and in the Population

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability in Canada. This disorder has a high prevalence, particularly in working-age populations. Some episodes of depression are self-limited, whereas others are disabling and dangerous. Mental health care systems continue to struggle with the management of this condition.

Presenter: Dr. Scott Patten, Professor, University of Calgary, Departments of Community Health Sciences and Psychiatry.
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This session made possible by Lundbeck.

10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.        Session 5: Integration: An employer’s best tool for mental health

Employers are increasingly being advised to adopt an integrated health model in the workplace. The advantages to this approach are multiple, almost as much as the challenges involved in the transition. Integration may well be the single, most efficient way to move from silos and stigma to functional interdependence and mental health.
Presenter: Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier, Vice President, Professional Services, Human Solutions.
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This session made possible by Human Solutions Canada Inc.

11:15 a.m.        Closing Remarks and Forum Concludes