Les Impatients receive the Ella Amir Award for Innovation in Mental Health for 2020, granted by AMI-Québec

Les Impatients have received the Ella Amir Award for Innovation in Mental Health for 2020 on October 8th during the annual AMI-Québec awards ceremony.

Les Impatients have received this award in recognition of the vital place they have become for people facing mental health challenges by reaching out to them through art and giving them the opportunity to carve their own place in society. It reflects their humanistic and inclusive vision to respect everyone for whoever they are and for whatever they can contribute. This award recognizes the work of Les Impatients over nearly 30 years, with 17 points of service across 12 cities in Quebec, and which has 850 participants per week.

The organization AMI-Québec has been active since 1977. It is committed to helping families manage the effects of mental illness through support, education, guidance and advocacy. The award was created in 2016 to mark Ella Amir’s 25 years of service as director general of AMI-Québec and to the community. It is awarded to individuals or organizations who demonstrate innovation in raising awareness of mental health issues within their community through research, service, advocacy, combating stigma or by drawing attention of the public to the needs of caregivers.

I was humbled to have an award in my name, and I have been humbled every year since, when we select an award recipient. The work of Les Impatients is moving and inspiring, and their recognition is long overdue, says Ella Amir.

Les Impatients share the honor of this award with other committed individuals and innovation agents: Dr. Stephen Snow from Concordia University (2016), Matthew Pearce from Mission Old Brewery (2017), Dr. Alexandre Dumais from the Research Center of the IUSMM and Jason Champagne from the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal (2018) and Josée Parent from the organization Mon Shack (2019).