Canada is afflicted with mental illness. The
Canada Mental Health Association website says that 20% of Canadians will pass through some form of mental illness during their life. According to the
World Health Organization, growing burden of mental disorders affects all countries in the world.
What is being done in Canada? There are
crisis centres in every province and territory. The federal government has a mental health strategy, which basically outlines some direction for the health system and how to
allocate money. The
Mental Health Commission of Canada is funded by Health Canada and was founded in 2007 essentially to work on the above-mentioned strategy.
Is it helping? The Mental Health Commission of Canada sites on
their website they have a “
10-year mandate (2007-2017).” Their work includes, but is not limited to, “
working to reduce stigma, [and] advancing knowledge exchange in mental health.” It is now 2016. You no doubt recognize the
Bell “
Let’s Talk” slogan; an initiative to end stigma around mental illness. This is a worthy cause. Canada is moving in the right direction toward awareness and acceptance. People are more likely to seek medical help now than in years past for
mental health concerns. Many work places offer Employee Assistance Programs, at no cost to employees, where counselling can be accessed. Pop culture is portraying mental illness in movies and TV. So the word is out. Mental illness is real and it can (and likely will) affect someone you know in your lifetime.
Can the resources in place keep up with demand? The
Wait Time Alliance (WTA) report shows for both 2014 and 2015 not one province reported wait times for services regarding
psychiatry. The WTA has also developed
benchmarks for acceptable wait times. These include emergency, urgent and scheduled cases. Currently, in
Ontario, if you have a mental health emergency you can go to any hospital Emergency department and wait to see a doctor who may then refer you to a mental health specialist. This meets the WTA benchmark of receiving emergency care within 24 hours. But what happens next? Some options:
- you may be involuntarily admitted for up to 72 hours to be assessed [1],
- you may be referred to a program or facility as follow-up, or
you may be discharged with a) a prescription or b) absolutely nothing.
If you do get a referral it is likely to take weeks or months before getting an appointment. In some cases, the waiting lists are
over a year. In a recent study, only 63% of people hospitalized for depression had a follow-up visit with a physician within one month after discharge
[2]. In the same month, 25% of people who had been hospitalized for depression either visited an emergency room or were readmitted to the hospital. What is being done to ensure long-term success? Are patients being educated to avoid another crisis? There seems to be a hole in the system.
What is the solution? More doctors might help, but they also need to be accessible. One study shows more doctors does not always equal more access to services
[3] . There is a demand for easier and faster
access to counselling when in a crisis. A phone call to the crisis line may not be enough, and the emergency room may be too daunting. There needs to be an option in between without waiting weeks or months for a referral. A
search for “
walk-in counselling” with no fees and accessible to all age groups brought back only six locations in Ontario.
How can you help? Petition for more change and accessibility by writing the
Minister of Health, contacting your provincial
Health Minister, or the
Prime Minister. Volunteer at a nearby crisis centre. Hold a fundraiser in support of
Canadian Mental Health Association. Most importantly be supportive if someone you know suffers from a mental illness.
