Mental Health & Addiction Services - An Overlooked Health Crisis

Ontario’s overlooked health crisis
Carol Goar
Toronto Star
June 7, 2011

Some hightlights:

"The best place in the province to get mental health and addiction services is Thunder Bay. Its regional health authority allocates 7.8 per cent of its spending to these services. It takes four days to be assigned a “case manager” who provides one-on-one support (compared with 66 days in Toronto). You can get into supportive housing in 90 days (377 days in Toronto).

The worst place to look for help is Hamilton. Its regional health unit spends just 2.3 per cent of its budget — $56 per capita — on services and support for people with psychiatric problems.

“Treatment for mental health and addiction issues right now is determined by your postal code,” says Mary Alberti, who heads the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario. She doesn’t think that’s right. She doesn’t think most Ontarians would tolerate this level of disparity, if they knew.

But they don’t. The public is unaware of the gaps and inequities in the province’s mental health system. The average citizen has no idea what services are available in his or her community, let alone others."



Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Alliance launches election campaign
CMHA Mental Health Notes
June 2, 2011

Briefly:

The new Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Alliance (the Alliance) launched its provincial election campaign this week with the release of four key recommendations for Ontario's political parties, which include:

1. Ensure a comprehensive core basket of mental health and addictions services, equally available to all Ontarians;
2. Focus on those at greatest risk, starting with children and youth;
3. Ensure individuals with serious mental illness and addictions have access to supportive housing to support their recovery;
4. Mobilize leadership to ensure Ontario's addictions and mental health strategy is effective.

To learn more about the Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Alliance, and their provincial election campaign, go to their website http://www.vote4mha.ca/

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