Call for nominations for 2019 OPA Breakout Community Psychiatry Advocacy Award
This award is supported by the Council of the Ontario Psychiatric Association. The OPA Breakout Community Psychiatry Advocacy Award recognizes contributions to the profession of psychiatry and to the public by a community psychiatrist engaging in grassroots advocacy in their local area. It is expected that candidates have not previously had provincial or national level recognition for their advocacy work. The successful candidate must spend a majority of her/his time engaged in delivery of clinical services. The award is open to OPA members who have been engaged in advocacy work through one or more of the following areas: clinical care, education, and administration.
Examples include:
- Advocacy and mental health policy work
- Outstanding teaching around advocacy
- Clinical care that empowers patients towards self-advocacy
- Leadership in advocacy
- Charitable work in local communities
Nomination Process:
Nominations are invited from OPA members and the public and must be submitted to the OPA office at <opa@eopa.ca>. For 2018, the nomination process will open January 15, 2019 and close February 15, 2019. The application deadline may be extended at the discretion of the OPA Manager and/or the OPA President.
Nomination packages require: 2 letters of support and the applicant's curriculum vitae (CV). One of the letters must be from an OPA member in good standing.
The winner will be notified in advance of the OPA Annual Conference and formally recognized during the program at the Conference.
Please forward all inquiries to the OPA Office at <opa@eopa.ca> or call 905-813-0105.
OPA Breakout Community Psychiatry Advocacy Award Winner (2018)
The OPA Council is pleased to announce the winner of the 2018 OPA Breakout Community Psychiatry Advocacy Award -
Dr. Michaela Beder
Advocacy is the foundation of Dr. Beder’s work as she is driven to improve the lives of individual clients and the broader political and policy landscape. Dr. Beder uses her skills as a psychiatrist to engage in collaborative work and to provide an evidence-based lens to the social issues that impact the individuals she serves. Her advocacy work has focused on a few main areas including immigration detention, poverty and homelessness, and access to healthcare for people without immigration status.
Dr. Beder completed her Bachelor of Arts (2004) at Mount Allison University, her Doctor of Medicine (2008) at McMaster University, her Residency in Psychiatry (2013) at the University of Toronto, and a Fellowship in Public Psychiatry (2014) at Columbia University. Currently, Dr. Beder is a Staff Psychiatrist (2014-present) at St. Michael’s Hospital and a Lecturer (2015-present) in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. Additionally, as the Advocacy Lead for the University of Toronto Department of Psychiatry (2015-present), Dr. Beder has led advocacy initiatives and mentored residents. Her clinical work is with people who are marginalized, including refugees, and with an ACT team that serves many people who experience homelessness. Her career to date has focused on improving the lives of people who are most disadvantaged in society.
