b'Staff Profile:It is such an honour to meetin the areas of mental health and addictions, and to reboot the work on health promotion. I see a strong need to work so many front-line workers inwith all sectors, especially social, health, education and Bernadettecommunities, including healthjustice, as there are so many overlaps in our Determinants of Health. We cannot continue to work in siloes, Bernadette says. I think the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the directors, nurses and otherneed to work together more than ever before, so I hope to be deGonzagueallied health care providers.able to support this approach.While Bernadette has been working remotely during the We continually learn so muchpandemic, that isnt out of the ordinary for her. I have been privileged to be able to work remotely since the beginning of from the presenters every year.my work with COO, which has also entailed almost weekly Sr. Health Policy Analyst travel for meetings. You know you travel a lot when the VIA Providing a platform for themRail attendants know you by name! Bernadette says. But I do miss the travel to meetings in person and having a chance BY CHRISTINE MISKONOODINKWE SMITH to tell their stories andto socialize with colleagues and partners, to visit commun-ities and make new friends.share best practicesShe also adds, Zoom meetings are a good alternative; not having to pack a suitcase several and lessonstimes a month and having more time to spend with family at home is appreciated. My cat might learned amongstnot feel the same, thoughhes had to give me communitiesback my chair! makes it all worthwhile.Ontario First Nations Young Peoples Council (OFNYPC), the Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) and the University of Western Ontario (UWO). The projects are aimed at building capacity among youth to lead their peers in raising awareness of suicide risk, being able to tell their stories through social media, primarily using a photovoice approach and using safeTALK suicide awareness training, Bernadette explains. We are now working on a follow-up proposal that would see the develop-ment of a First Nations youth-specific suicide awareness training model.During her 12 years at COO, Bernadette says that there have been many memorable moments, but her first staff meeting sticks out the most. I walked into the restaurant where the other staff were having dinner, and I didnt know a soul, Bernadette relays. Alice, Dianne and Margaret immediately invited me to sit at their table and made me feel so at home. I knew I was in the right place.The annual Health Forum has been a highlight of the work every year, Bernadette adds. It is such an honour to meet so many front-line workers in communities, including health directors, nurses and other allied health care providers. We continually learn so much from the presenters every year. Providing a platform for them to tell their stories and share best practices and lessons learned amongst communities makes it all worthwhile.While at COO, Bernadette has been co-chair of the Mental Health and Addictions Working Group. In the future, she hopes to continue working on trilateral processes, especially I ssue1 2020C hIefs ofo ntarIoA dvocAte magazIne l 45'