What Is TAMI?

The TAMI (Talking About Mental Illness) Coalition is a group of community partners with a shared mission and purpose. Our purpose is to bring together community agencies, schools, youth, people with mental illness and other community members to develop and deliver awareness programs for intermediate level elementary school students, and secondary school students in Durham Region. This program was originally created by the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Canadian Mental Health Association. In 2002, a local TAMI coalition was formed in Durham Region, and since then, it has been working on addressing the issues associated with stigma and mental illness.

TAMI’s mission is to increase the knowledge of, and decrease the stigma associated with mental illness.

In 2012, the Durham TAMI Coalition was honored to receive a Mental Health Commission of Canada Mental Health Award in the Partnership category. These awards recognize initiatives across Canada that are contributing to improving mental health. In order to be eligible for this award, the organization must demonstrate leadership, creativity and commitment in the advancement of our collective understanding of mental health problems and illnesses. 

Video created to highlight TAMI's work as a winner of a Mental Health Commission of Canada National Mental Health Award in the Partnership Category. 

 

Membership

TAMI’s Membership includes the following Agencies and Organizations:

-  Canadian Mental Health Association - Durham
 - Carea Community Health Centre
 - Durham Children's Aid Society
 - Durham District School Board
 - Durham Catholic District School Board
 - Durham Mental Health Services
 - Frontenac Youth Services
 - Health Department - Durham Region
 - Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board                                                           - Kinark Child and Family Services
 - Lakeridge Health Child, Youth and Family Program
 - Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences
 - Pinewood Centre of Lakeridge Health
 - Resources for Exceptional Children and Youth - Durham

 

Goals

TAMI's goals include:

• eliminating or reducing the stigma associated with mental illness;
• providing teachers with the appropriate support and materials to implement an in-class awareness program;
  
• providing students and teachers with the appropriate support and materials to develop school wide, student driven awareness programs;
• providing an opportunity for students to learn from people who have experienced mental illness first hand; and
  
• helping students to understand where and how they can access help for themselves and their peers.

 

Awards

In 2019, the TAMI Coilition was incredibly proud to recieve two very meaningful awards.

• The Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) preseneted TAMI with the James Pickell Mental Health Achievement Recognition Award, which is presented to an organization that has made outstanding contributions to mental health education and anti-stigma activities that have had a positive impact on the mental health community. You can read more about the MDSC and the James Pickell award here

 

• The Durham Region Health Department presented TAMI with the Friend of Health Award in recognityon of the work that the Coilition does to education students about mental health, mental illness and stigma.