An extraordinary gift of $5 million from Mr. G. Raymond Chang, Chancellor of Ryerson University and Chair of CI Financial, will go toward furthering research and education about the treatment of mental health and addictions, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation announced today.
"CAMH is conducting world-leading research into mental health and addictions with pioneering gene science and advanced brain imaging, combined with clinical expertise," said CAMH Foundation President and CEO, Darrell Louise Gregersen. "This gift will help us achieve the goal of ensuring that those experiencing mental health and addictions receive the best care possible."
"We are thankful to Mr. Chang, not only for his generosity, but for standing up and showing his leadership in supporting mental health and addictions," she said.
Mr. Chang's gift will help CAMH achieve its goal of raising $15-million from the private sector for a major research initiative, funded in part by the Canada Foundation for Innovation. The gift will support a $38-million project that will enable CAMH to focus on research in key areas, including: schizophrenia, mood disorders, addictions, community health and knowledge exchange, neuroimaging, pharmacognetics and neuroscience. CAMH is among the top three research centres in the world in the combined field of brain imaging and genetics.
"There have been significant advances in treatments for people living with mental illness and addictions, but there's still so much to learn," said Catherine Zahn, incoming President and CEO, CAMH. "In the past, therapies have been identified by trial and error rather than through an evidence based understanding of the complex factors leading to these conditions. Today, research at CAMH is changing the way we treat mental health and addictions. The impact will not only be within our facilities and our local community but also nationally and internationally."