In October 2020, after 40 years of being known as the Manitoba Schizophrenia Society, the board passed a motion to take the necessary steps to rename the organization as Peer Connections Manitoba. This name under scores the value of connection within a context of peer support service delivery. Being a single illness focused organization was limiting our ability to serve the ever-increasing and broad spectrum of mental health needs of the larger population. With accessibility having been identified as one of the two biggest inefficiencies in our healthcare system, we feel it is our duty to remove barriers to receiving value-based peer support.

Peer Connections Manitoba does not provide medical services and therefore it is not fitting to use illness specific language to describe our organization. To be clear, we have not dropped our supports for schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and psychosis – they are now included in the support we provide for all mental health challenges and addictions issues. We believe in the potential of every person to live beyond limitations and experience recovery. It is our goal to create a culture that thrives on hope and possibilities not a community focused on deficits.

We have changed the name of our organization, but we will never forget our roots. It is important to us that we continue to provide quality mental health education and resources for our Manitobans.