Coalition of Ontario Psychiatrists
The Coalition of Ontario Psychiatrists is a formal partnership of the Ontario Psychiatric Association and the Section on Psychiatry of the Ontario Medical Association. It is concerned with the provision of high quality mental health services for all Ontarians who need them. The Coalition of Ontario Psychiatrists represents over 1900 psychiatrists in Ontario.
The Coalition of Ontario Psychiatrists was formed in the late 1990s to facilitate coordination and cooperation between the Ontario Psychiatric Association and the Section on Psychiatry of the Ontario Medical Association, and to allow psychiatrists to speak with a unified voice on common issues. The Coalition provides a stronger advocacy voice that either organization can present alone.
As the OPA and OMA Section share many common goals, the Coalition allows both organizations to coordinate their efforts and pursue initiatives in these areas of overlap.
Independent funding allows the Coalition to support tariff and negotiations work; obtain legal advice, policy and lobbying support; facilitate communications; and fund other projects, such as the production of The Psychiatrists Billing Guide (2004).
Over the past decade, the Coalition was involved in the following initiatives:
- Mental Health Services Delivery;
- Remuneration of Ontario Psychiatrists;
- ACT team psychiatrists;
- Subspecialties;
- MRC, privacy legislation, psychotherapy guidelines, etc.
- Youth suicide prevention
In terms of the GR initiatives, the main objective is to develop linkages with government to ensure organized psychiatry has appropriate input into mental health & addiction policy development and implementation; and to develop and implement a comprehensive communications plan to inform members of both the OPA and OMA Section on Psychiatry on the Coalition strategic initiatives.
