More than 550,000 people in Canada are caregivers to people living with mental health problems or illnesses.

The Caregiver Mobilization Toolkit is designed to help promote the National Guidelines for a Comprehensive Service System to Support Family Caregivers of Adults with Mental Health Problems and Illnesses with decision-makers who have the resources or authority to implement recommendations. It will help toolkit users to:

• Introduce the Guidelines and encourage implementation.
• Determine the steps to take for mobilization.
• Choose appropriate activities and tools (e.g., when to use the slide deck, meeting activities, summary document).
• Understand their role as a facilitator of this process.

The term “family caregiver,” here and in the Guidelines, refers to all those in the circle of care, including family members and other significant people who provide unpaid support to an individual living with a mental health problem or illness (hereafter referred to as “caregivers”).

A family-friendly system of mental health care is expected to optimally support caregivers so they can provide the best possible support to their loved ones while sustaining their own wellbeing.

Resources:

1. Background on the Issue
2. Appendix 1: Planning Questionnaire
3. Appendix 2: Planning Activities
4. Appendix 3: Sample Letter
5. Appendix 4: Sample Summary Document
6. Appendix 5: Facilitator Guide
7. Appendix 6: PowerPoint Slides
8. Appendix 7: Recommendation Handouts
9. Appendix 8: Telling Your Story
10. Appendix 9: Meeting Checklist