Empowering Clinician-Family Collaboration in Serious Mental Illness; The PHIA Amendment and More

Mr. Ryan Lebans, legal counsel for CMPA, will be assisting in the facilitation of this workshop. 

1. 30 Minutes "From Privacy to Partnership: Family Communication in Serious Mental Illness"

   This case shows how listening to family caregivers can reveal critical clinical information that a person with SMI (often experiencing the symptom of anosognosia) does not have the capacity to report. It demonstrates how clinicians can respect privacy while still receiving collateral information and how vital information from physicians improves the caregiver's ability to better care for the patient between appointments, reducing the caregiver's trauma and anguish. [Cyndi Corbett]

   Learning objectives:

   Upon completing this case study, participants will be able to:

• Identify the clinical impact of anosognosia on a patient’s self-reporting ability and its implications for informed consent. CanMEDS Roles: Medical Expert, Communicator, Professional
• Differentiate between receiving collateral information and disclosing patient health information while gathering relevant clinical history. CanMEDS Roles: Communicator, Professional, Leader

• Apply communication strategies to build therapeutic relationships with family caregivers and incorporate caregiver insights into treatment planning. CanMEDS Roles: Communicator, Collaborator, Medical Expert, Health Advocate

  2. 30 Minutes Navigating the ER in Crisis

  This case examines an emergency room scenario involving a patient experiencing a mental health crisis, highlighting how family collaboration transforms risk assessment, clinical decision-making, and discharge safety—particularly in resource-constrained environments. [Jan MacKinnon]

  Learning objectives:

  Upon completing this case study, participants will be able to: 

• Evaluate the legal and ethical requirements for consent and collateral collection during an emergency mental health crisis. CanMEDS Roles: Professional, Medical Expert, Communicator
• Integrate family collateral into risk assessment, clinical decision-making, and discharge planning in high-stress, resource-constrained environments. CanMEDS Roles: Medical Expert, Communicator, Collaborator, Leader

• Apply provincial criteria regarding involuntary admission, substitute decision-making, and exceptions to privacy during emergency clinical decision points. CanMEDS Roles: Medical Expert, Professional, Communicator
  
  3. 30 Minutes "Opportunities to include Family caregivers - through the lens of the latest PHIA Amendment and related clauses"

  This case examines an emergency room scenario involving a patient experiencing a mental health crisis, highlighting how family collaboration transforms risk assessment, clinical decision-making, and discharge safety—particularly in resource-constrained environments. [Jan MacKinnon]A discussion regarding how the PHIA amendment and related clauses gives physicians an opportunity to engage the patient on the importance of including family caregivers into information sharing. This case study would examine the responses and questions a physician could ask in situations where the individual does not give consent to include family caregivers in the Circle of Support or to share information with them and the natural protective factors that included families provide. The discussion will shed more light on the individual's decision-making capacity, (whether capacity testing may be required), and whether certain details may be shared versus what may not. [ Laura Way]

Learning objectives:

Upon completing this session, participants will be able to:

• Interpret the latest Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) amendments and related clauses in the context of engaging family caregivers. CanMEDS Roles: Leader, Professional, Communicator, Health Advocate
• Execute targeted communication strategies to explore and address a patient’s refusal to share information or involve family members. CanMEDS Roles: Communicator, Professional, Health Advocate.
• Determine when formal capacity assessments are required using provincial legal and professional standards. CanMEDS Roles: Medical Expert, Professional, Communicator