—Toronto, ON, September 25, 2016—

Last night the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) recognized exceptional psychiatrists, psychiatric residents and individuals for their contributions to the mental health of Canadians.

Dr. Gary Chaimowitz from Hamilton, Ontario, was awarded the CPA C.A. Roberts Award for Clinical Leadership for the significant improvements he has brought to patient care through a breadth of contributions to both forensic and general psychiatry. His accomplishments include the development of risk assessment tools now widely adopted and recognized as best practice, establishing the first same-day fitness to stand trial clinic in Hamilton’s detention centres and the development of position papers that use the evidence base to define best practice.

Dr. Meir Steiner from Hamilton, Ontario, received the CPA J.M. Cleghorn Award for Excellence and Leadership in Clinical Research for his research in both psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology, as well as his work in the area of postpartum depression and premenstrual syndrome. He was also recognized for his leadership role in advancing this work through organized medicine at home and abroad, as well as mentoring a generation of young researchers who will continue this work in the future.

Dr. Mark Rapoport from Toronto, Ontario, was recognized with the CPA Paul Patterson Innovation in Education Leadership Award for his creative and innovative leadership in developing and implementing an annual online and in-person geriatric psychiatry national review course, designed to prepare both Canadian Academy of Geriatric Psychiatry members and subspecialty trainees for their Royal College subspecialty exam.

R.O. Jones Awards for Best Papers
Dr. Kathleen Sheehan from Toronto, Ontario, received 1st Place, for her paper, Privacy Denied: Exploring the Tensions Between Procedural Justice and Respect for Privacy at the Consent and Capacity Board.

Dr. Lena Quilty from Toronto, Ontario, received 2nd Place for her paper, Validation of the Clinician Rating Form for DSM-5 Section III.

Dr. Phillip Gregoire from Toronto, Ontario, received 3rd Place for his paper, Police Records and Mental Health Information: An Advocacy Project on Disclosure and Privacy.

2016 CPA Annual Conference Best Poster Awards
Dr. David Rodie received 1st place, for his poster, CAMH Integrated Care Research Project: A Telephone –Based Intervention for Mental Health Problems in Primary Care Patients.

Dr. Arlene MacDougall received 2nd place, for her poster, Group Mindfulness-based Intervention Improves Affective Symptoms in Individuals with Early Psychosis: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Dr. Jonathan Gregory received 3rd place, for his poster, “Not for Human Consumption”: Novel Psychoactive Substances in the Internet Age.

Fellows of the CPA
On Friday morning, at its Annual General Meeting, the honour of Fellow of the CPA was bestowed upon CPA member psychiatrists Dr. Bruce Ballon, Dr. Anne Bassett, Dr. Brad Booth, Dr. Ruzica Jokic, Dr. Donna Lougheed, Dr. Narasimha Malempati, Dr. Biju Mathew, Dr. Abraham Rudnick and Dr. Karen Saperson.

Other psychiatric organizations also recognized the excellent work of their colleagues during the CPA Annual Conference:

Alex Leighton Joint CPA-Canadian Academy of Psychiatric Epidemiology Award in Psychiatric Epidemiology
Dr. Harriet MacMillan

Association of Chairs of Psychiatry Award for Excellence in Education
Dr. Sheila Harms

Association of Chairs of Psychiatry Annual Research Award
Dr. Venkhat Bhat

Association of Chairs of Psychiatry Award for Creative Professional Activity
Dr. Anthony Levinson

Canadian Academy of Geriatric Psychiatry Award for Outstanding Contributions in Geriatric Psychiatry
Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy

Joint CPA – Council of Psychiatric Continuing Education (COPCE) Award for the Most Outstanding Continuing Education Activity in Psychiatry in Canada – Community or Rural Setting
Dr. David J. Robinson

Joint CPA – Council of Psychiatric Continuing Education (COPCE) Award for the Most Outstanding Continuing Education Activity in Psychiatry in Canada – Medical School
Dr. Bruce Ballon and Dr. Ayal Schaffer

Council of Psychiatric Continuing Education (COPCE) Award for Best Paper by a Psychiatry Resident
Dr. Paul Benassi of Toronto, Ontario, for his paper, Developing Evidence-Based Practices for Morbidity and Mortality Rounds in Psychiatry: A Systematic Review of Implementation and Educational Outcomes.

Canadian Organization of Undergraduate Psychiatric Educators (COUPE) Award for Best Paper by a Medical Student
Dr. Joseph Emerson Capellan Marinas of Edmonton, Alberta, for his paper, Physician-Assisted Death and the Medical and Philosophical Considerations for Psychiatry.

Coordinators of Postgraduate Education (COPE) Examination Award
Dr. Sara Courtis

Coordinators of Postgraduate Education (COPE) Resident Award for Best Paper
Dr. Reji Thomas of Edmonton, Alberta, for his paper, Teaching Transcultural Psychiatry: Results From a Pilot Seminar.

The Canadian Psychiatric Association is the national voice for Canada’s 4,700 psychiatrists and more than 900 psychiatric residents. Founded in 1951, the CPA is dedicated to promoting an environment that fosters excellence in the provision of clinical care, education and research.