By Kathleen Mochnacki
On April 9th, I watched on CBC’s Power and Politics the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Ya’ara Saks announce a 2024 Budget proposal of $500 million dollars for a Youth Mental Health Fund to help younger Canadians. Here is the Press Release:
Does this mental health fund include funding for “younger Canadians” who are experiencing their first psychotic break? Will it ensure access to a psychiatrist, and an adequate hospital stay and supportive housing upon discharge?
The Press Release reads “And, because many of them are still in school or just starting their careers, they are more likely to struggle with the costs of private mental health care”. Is the Minister not aware that we have Universal Health Care in Canada? Yes, psychologists need to come under Universal Health Care but we also need more psychiatrists who will treat serious mental illness.
The statement continues: “Through no fault of their own, Gen Z has inherited an expensive housing market, and a rising cost of living—both of which are causing unprecedented anxiety about their future. It is more important than ever that young Canadians get the support they need”.
Is the Minister aware that those with serious mental illnesses have faced a housing crisis since the beginning of de-institutionalization and that this crisis has been neglected for decades? The money that was to be saved from running the institutions was to go into appropriate community services like supportive housing but it did not. In fact, 77% of homeless people have a mental illness according to research just published on April 17/24
The statement continues: “The new Youth Mental Health Fund will help community health organizations provide more care for younger Canadians, and better equip these organizations to refer youth to other mental health services within their networks and partnerships”. Would it not make more sense to open up more hospital beds, so “young Canadians” who are experiencing their first psychotic break can receive the medical care that they need?
Instead many of those untreated “young Canadians” have entered the homeless population. I see them walking around talking to their voices on Yonge Street, sleeping in stairwells and begging for a plate of food at church breakfasts in the community where I live.
No-one cares.
The Press Release states that this money is to go to community mental health organizations. While there are some knowledgeable and empathetic community workers, most “Community mental health organizations” have a track record of not attending to the most seriously mentally ill adequately. Ask family caregivers of those who are seriously mentally ill who have had their complaints continually dismissed. I have spent years pursuing resolution to my concerns. This is how it appears to work: Complaints are forwarded to the executive director, who may either ignore them or offer a defensive excuse. Complaints are then forwarded to the Board of the organization who refer the complaint back to the Executive Director. Complaints are then forwarded to the local MPP who then forwards them to the Ministry which is usually followed by a message from the Ministry, some weeks later, that I need to express my concerns to the Executive Director.
Lack of Mental Illness Literacy.
According to The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth “The Youth Mental Health Fund is our commitment to making sure that their courage leads to the care they deserve. They’ve taken the first step; we’re making sure they’re supported for the next one.”
Does Minister Ien know that many with psychotic illness have the symptom of “anosognosia ” and are, therefore, not aware that they have an illness. So why would they reach out and make “the first step”? This lack of knowledge about serious mental illness among our leaders is unacceptable. It would seem that most mental health funding initiatives do not address the needs of the seriously mentally ill.
No Accountability.
Also included in this announcement is that the Federal Government will be “Providing $14.25 million in annual funding to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, to advance mental health in the priority areas of suicide prevention, mental health and substance use, engagement with Canadians, and population-based initiatives which includes children, youth, and emerging adults“.
In 2018, a report commissioned by Health Canada and conducted by Dr. Pierre-Gerlier Forest and Dr. Danielle Martin recommended that the Mental Health Commission of Canada be disbanded and can be found here.
Why were tax dollars spent on a federal review of the Mental Health Commission of Canada in 2018 which recommended that this organization be disbanded only to have funding continue for years including this latest bump in money?
How will Outcomes be evaluated?
The Press Release did not explain how the outcomes of the services provided by this money will be evaluated. According to the Press Release, the money is to go to improve the lives of “young Canadians” but what indicators will there be, to know that this outcome has been achieved?
This announcement of a Youth Mental Health Fund is another example of how our tax dollars are spent with no clear mandate, and no clear expectations set out. Families of those with serious mental illness have been witnessing this phenomena for years.
The Minister Needs to Explain:
- If this money is also to go to help “young Canadians” with serious mental illness?
- What is her knowledge of serious mental illness?
- Is she aware of the devastating effects on those with serious mental illness and their families incurred by the policy of deinstitutionalization?
- Does she see a connection of this poorly thought out policy and the current crisis in homelessness of many “young Canadians”?
- Would not some of the money be better spent on opening up hospital beds and allowing “young Canadians” to get appropriate treatment for their emerging psychotic illness?
- Given Ontario’s penchant for funding bureaucracies (e.g. The Centre of Excellence and the Establishment of a Mental Health and Addictions Ministry) rather than funding direct services, what guarantees do we have that this money will go towards youth in the Province of Ontario?
- Both the Fraser Institute and the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health gave negative reports on the state of mental health services this year. What components of these reports is this funding to address?