In 2009, however, Malcolmson was subject to a disciplinary hearing of Ontario's College of Physicians and Surgeons, following that he sexually abused a patient and fathered a child with her.

[7][8] Reforms were made after a series of deaths at the Queen Street Mental Health Centre and newspaper accounts of involuntary drug treatment, electroshock therapy, and prison-like conditions.

The institute took over the clinical, teaching, and research functions of the Toronto Psychiatric Hospital, located at 2 Surrey Place, which opened in 1925 under Clarence B. Farrar.

The first Medical and Executive Director of the Clarke was Charles Roberts, and the first Psychiatrist-in-Chief (and Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto) was Aldwyn B. Stokes.

A government arbitrator was appointed who valued the property at $55 million, yielding a rent increase that CAMH was reportedly able to pay.

Focusing initially on outpatient treatment, their first facility was Brookside Hospital in 1951, expanding to branch offices and new locations in 1954, the same year they set up in-house research.

[20] CAMH has been undergoing a three phase redevelopment centered at its Queen Street site, with four goals: 1) Deliver a new model of care and provide a healthy environment that promotes recovery; 2) Bring together the best research, clinical, education, health promotion, and policy experts in one place to change the future of mental health and addictions; 3) Revitalize the City of Toronto by opening up their site and by creating an inclusive new nine-block neighbourhood that benefits all and, 4) Change attitudes by breaking down barriers to eliminate the stigma of mental health.

The donation permitted the opening of a centre dedicated to identifying and treating early signs of mental illness in youth.

[30] In 2014, philanthropist and business executive Andrew Fass donated $1,000,000 to CAMH for the hospital to create a wellness program for its staff.

[32] The grant was to be used for CAMH's "Well@Work" program, an initiative to provide Canadian workplaces with training to identify risks of mental illness and strategies to support employees in need.

When the Toronto Star reported on what it deemed an apparent conflict of interest regarding the spending of public money, the hospital would not reveal how much it paid Catford or his company, nor would CAMH disclose any details of its contract with H.I.

"[47] Scientists from 13 countries, including Nobel laureates Julius Axelrod and Arvid Carlsson, protested CAMH's actions[48] as did the Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship (SAFS).

[49] Healy sued CAMH and the University of Toronto, alleging breach of contract, defamation, and denial of academic freedom.

Bradley collaborated for many years with psychologist Kenneth Zucker, and they established the clinic as the largest gender identity service in Canada and an international center for research.

According to a 2006 article in The New York Times, Zucker did this by "encouraging same-sex friendships and activities like board games that move beyond strict gender roles.

[60] In March 2015, the Ontario Provincial Parliament introduced the Affirming Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Act, aimed at banning conversion therapy practices.

[61][60] The law made LGBT conversion therapy illegal to provide to minors, and removed it from public health insurance coverage for adults.

Kwame McKenzie, medical director of CAMH's child, youth, and family services, said "We want to apologize for the fact that not all of the practices in our childhood gender identity clinic are in step with the latest thinking.

[69] This culminated in Ontario Superior Court Justice Maureen Forestell who reportedly "tore a strip off of" CAMH for its actions.

[70] One of the most widely reported incidents involved Thomas Brailsford, who was institutionalized at CAMH after beheading his mother and being deemed a "danger to himself and others."

[71] In an interview with Toronto columnist Jerry Agar, CAMH's chief of forensic psychiatry, Sandy Simpson said "Clearly, we will be reviewing this carefully to look at how we assessed the risk in this case.

"[72] Kate Richards of CAMH media relations subsequently said "We have tightened aspects of these procedures and...We are confident that the changes implemented in this case have been effective.

"[71] Agar wrote that he has "been eager to have Simpson back on the radio show to discuss what measures have been put in place" but had not received any response.

[74] In 2007, following a series of attacks on staff by patients, the Ontario Ministry of Labour asked CAMH to develop a workplace violence and policy program.

[76] In 2014, the Ontario Ministry of Labour laid charges against CAMH for failing to protect workers from workplace violence by patients following an attack earlier that year.

[77] In 2014, the Ontario Ministry of Labour laid more charges against CAMH for failing to implement procedures to protect staff from workplace violence following another attack by a patient that year.

CAMH's Chief of Nursing, Rani Srivastava, said that CAMH accepted the court's decision adding that the violence had a “devastating impact” on “all of us at CAMH.”[78] Three months later, another nurse was punched, kicked in the face and dragged by a patient into a locked utility room where she was repeatedly kicked in the head by the patient, suffering fractures and nerve damage.

[80] CAMH referred to "the plan to allow the sale of VQA wines at farmers' markets across the province" as "cause for concern" because it would increase access to alcohol.

[81] Similarly, together with other health organizations, CAMH called for a provincial alcohol strategy, ahead of Ontario's plan to permit the sale of beer in grocery stores.

[83] According to CAMH CEO, Catherine Zahn, "Only through legalization can we implement a public-health approach, treating cannabis use as a health issue and not one to be addressed through law enforcement and the court system.