Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: November 20, 2014
• Invested on: September 23, 2015

For his contributions to the prevention of suicide in China and for his engagement in international mental health initiatives.

Michael Phillips has saved lives through his dedication to suicide prevention. Following his studies in psychiatric medicine and epidemiology, he travelled to China, where he has been a mental health researcher and clinician for three decades. He recently served as the director of the Suicide Research and Prevention Center at the Shanghai Mental Health Center. In this role, he helped identify the main causes of suicide in the country and developed prevention strategies that have contributed to a dramatic reduction in the national suicide rate. Also a key collaborator on World Health Organization initiatives, he has influenced mental health strategies in several countries.