CMHAMental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is an annual national public education campaign to raise public awareness of mental illness. The theme for this year’s campaign is Take Action NOW!   We can take action for our own mental health, support a friend of family member living with mental illness or take action in our community to raise public awareness of mental illness. Everyone is encouraged to share their actions by using the hashtag #TakeActionNow and tag @MIAWCanada on Facebook and Twitter.

One of MIAW’s major initiatives is the Faces of Mental Illness campaign, a national outreach campaign featuring the stories of Canadians living with mental illness. These five Canadians provide hope for people living with mental illness and help us see the person before the illness.

The week was established in 1992 by the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and is now coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) in cooperation with all its member organizations and many other supporters across Canada, like the Canadian Mental Health Association. Mental Illness Awareness week provides an opportunity to have open and honest discussions about mental illness in communities throughout the country.

For more information on Mental Illness Awareness Week and to learn more about the Faces of Mental Illness Campaign, please visit: http://www.camimh.ca/mental-illness-awareness-week/faces-of-mental-illness/.