Client Advisory Council

The Client Advisory Council is an advisory and advocacy council representing clients of The Royal. Our members are clients who have lived experience with mental illness and/or addiction and who have received care from different programs at The Royal.

Role of the Client Advisory Council

• We strive to work in partnership with health professionals and clinicians to ensure the best possible quality of life and standards of care are available to everyone.
• We review, comment and make recommendations for policy in collaborations with staff.
• We represent clients on committees at The Royal and in the community to ensure the client voice is heard throughout the region.
• We meet on a monthly basis to report back on participation in various committees and identify new ways to include the client voice and lived experience throughout the organization.
• We educate ourselves on mental health and addictions and the organization, and seek opportunities to enhance our development and role as council members.
• We act as an ongoing resource for all staff and clients.
• We publish a newsletter The Client’s Voice.
• We do public speaking engagements to talk about the lived experience of mental health and/or addictions.

Philosophy

• We believe in a client-centred approach to care.
• We believe patients have the right to voice their concerns.
• We believe input from patients should be welcomed, encouraged and responded to in a timely manner.
• We believe patients have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
• We believe in advocating for changes in the system.
• We believe in valuing people and humanizing the system.
• We believe in open communication between care providers, clients and their families.

How is this accomplished?

The individuals on the Client Advisory Council represent the voice of our clients throughout our organization by sitting on committees and program meetings. 

Committees on which we serve as advisors

• Accessibility Task Force 
• Access to Care 
• Risk Assessment 
• Falls prevention 
• Work Place Violence 
• TOH Mental Health Community Advisory Committee
• Person and Family Centered Care 
• Integrated Ethics Committee
• E-therapy 
• Research Ethics Board
• Safewards 
• Code White Project 
• Visiting Hours 
• Central Intake Steering Committee 
• Champlain Peer Network.

Other Advisory Roles and Activities

• Corporate Welcome 
• Quality Committee of the Board 
• Board of Trustees 
• Foundation speaking engagements
• Staff recruitment process
• Speaking at community events
• Conversations at The Royal

Program represented on the CAC

• ACT Team 
• Mood & Anxiety Program 
• Recovery Program 
• Forensics
• Substance Use and Concurrent Disorders
• Schizophrenia