The Mindset Award for Workplace Mental Health Reporting in 2019
The Mindset Award for Workplace Mental Health Reporting in 2019 was awarded for CBC News: The Fifth Estate – Officer Down reported by Mark Kelley with Timothy Sawa (producer) and Kimberly Ivany (associate producer), broadcast on March 10, 2019. Building on inside information from an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) member, the team conducted a 6-month investigation into the workplace culture of the force, revealing that 12 OPP officers had killed themselves since Ontario’s ombudsman first raised the alarm about OPP officers’ mental health in 2012. After the broadcast, the Ontario government established an Independent Review Panel to look into the issue
Two honourable mentions were also given in view of the quality and variety of the work presented to an independent jury.
One was awarded to CBC News: The National – Breaking the Silence of Subway Suicide reported by Ioanna Roumeliotis, with Melissa Mancini (producer), broadcast on 10 September 2019.The team spent months negotiating extraordinary behind-the-scenes access to Toronto’s subway as the TTC moved away from a policy of not talking about suicides and suicide attempts there, devastating events for TTC workers, passengers, victims and loved ones. Suicides were increasing. Silence, the TTC’s chief safety officer said bluntly, wasn’t helping. But contagion –fear that being more open could lead to more deaths - was still a concern. The team had to work out how best to cover the story responsibly. After the broadcast, the number of suicide attempts in Toronto’s subway fell for the first time in two years.
The other honourable mention was awarded for CBC Radio's: The Hole Inside reported by Florence K, with Kent Hoffman (producer) broadcast on April 19, 2019. Florence K is a musician, singer-songwriter and host of the CBC radio program C’est Formidable. This stand-alone documentary tells the story of her personal struggles with mental illness in a very public workplace, and her continuing recovery.
