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Client Advisory Council

The Client Advisory Council serves to give power to patients’ lived experiences through voices that have been there.

Engage / Volunteer Opportunities / Client Advisory Council

Lifting others through the power of collective support

The Client Advisory Council (CAC) represents the voices of patients and residents who have lived experience with mental illness and/or addiction. The council ensures patient perspectives are respected and that their needs are integrated in decisions affecting care, policy and organizational practice.

Our approach

The CAC is grounded in a patient- and family-centred approach:

Patients have the right to be heard, treated with dignity and to participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their care.
Input from patients must be welcomed, valued and acted upon in a timely manner.
Advocacy and system change are essential to reduce harm, improve safety and humanize care.
Open communication between care providers, patients and families is central to effective and coordinated care.

What we do

The CAC partners directly with clinicians, staff and leadership to strengthen care quality, reduce harm and improve patient outcomes. Members of the CAC are responsible for:

Reviewing policies, providing recommendations and collaborating with staff to ensure standards reflect real patient needs.
Representing patients on committees and community initiatives, ensuring lived experience informs decision-making across The Royal.
Meeting monthly to report on committee participation, identify gaps and suggest improvements that enhance care, safety and recovery.
Pursuing ongoing learning about mental illness, addiction and organizational operations to act as informed, credible advisors.
Serving as a resource for staff and patients, sharing expertise and insights.
Collaborating with the Family Advisory Council (FAC) to produce The Voice newsletter, and engaging in public speaking to communicate lived experience and advocate for systemic improvements.

Client and Family Oriented Research Committee
Forensic Conference Committee
Integrated Research Committee
Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)
Mood and Anxiety Program Leadership and Quality Committee
The Ottawa Hospital Mental Health Community Advisory Committee
Visiting Hours

Best practice guideline development for Registered Nurses of Ontario
Board of Trustees
Client representative on the FAC and The Royal’s Ottawa Volunteer Association Board
Corporate Welcome speaking engagements
Culture Club
Donor and fundraising event speaking engagements
Lived experience on research projects
Research Academic Council
Speaking at community events
Senior-level staff recruitment
The Royal representative on AccessMHA Lived Experience Group
Quality Committee of the Board

Interested in getting involved?

If you would like to learn more about the Council or how to become a member, email us at cac@theroyal.ca or call (613) 722-6521 ext. 6767.

Send an email

Our initiatives

The CAC is also central to the stewardship and operation of other patient-focused resources and projects at The Royal. We work to ensure patients feel supported and have access to important information about mental illness and recovery.

Client & Family Resource Hub

The Client and Family Resource Hub offers information, education, peer support and other resources to patients, clients and their caregivers throughout the journey. This initiative, developed in partnership with the CAC, launched in 2023.

Visit The Hub

The Voice Newsletter

The Voice is a publication for clients and families, produced with the FAC. Read about the patient and family experiences shaping care and programs at The Royal.

Browse Issues

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Stay informed about what’s happening at The Royal with our newsletter. Typical features include updates on exciting research, patient success stories, community impact, fundraising campaigns and new treatment programs.

Ottawa Campus

1145 Carling Ave.,
Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4
(613) 722-6521

Long-Term Care

1141 Carling Ave.,
Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4
(613) 722-6521

Brockville Campus

1804 Highway 2 E, P.O. Box 1050,
Brockville, ON K6V 5W7
(613) 345-1461

Community Mental Health

2121 Carling Ave.,
Ottawa, ON K2A 1H2
(613) 722-6521