ADDICTION STATISTICS DISTURBING: REPORT

Mental Health Level of Care Depends on Where You Live

A York Region high school student, the product of a split and
dysfunctional family, suffering from depression and self mutilation,
had to wait months to see a psychiatrist. Only when the teen
attempted suicide was hospital-based care offered.

A teenaged newcomer, trying to appease parents who didn't understand
the nuances of youth culture, grew increasingly despondent, frozen by
the stigma of depression and lack of help.

A pair of teenagers and an adult in their early 20s are found dead by
their own hand after being released from a York Region hospital
psychiatric ward.

The stories relating to the pain and suffering of mental health and
addiction challenges play out in real life daily through our
communities, health and social service professionals and anti-poverty
advocates attest.

There's a growing substance abuse and addiction epidemic among youth
from affluent York Region families.

And the problems are growing, the newly formed Ontario Mental Health
& Addictions Alliance said in a report released Tuesday. Timely and
appropriate care for mental health or addiction problems depend
largely on where you live, leaving tens of thousands of Ontarians
struggling to get the care they deserve, the survey stated.

The facts, statistics and outcomes are numerous and disturbing.

The alliance, an amalgam of 10 provincial organizations, including
regional representation through the York Region branch of the
Canadian Mental Health Association, said unequal access to mental
health and addiction services threatens Ontarians. As such, by
joining forces, the consortium wants to mobilize an awareness
initiative and, at the same time, ask provincial political parties to
act toward solving the most pressing challenges of mental illness and
addiction.

"I have to say this is great," association regional branch chief
executive officer Colleen Zakoor said of the alliance. "Never before
have so many significant players been pulled together."

Funding and service inequities across the province affect Ontarians
from all walks of life, the report stated. The wait for supportive
housing in one jurisdiction is 1,097 days, nearly four times higher
than the provincial average of 290 days.

For residential addiction treatment, the average wait is 41 days, but
is five times higher in the Central East Local Health Integration
Network region.

Children and youth also face unequal access to mental health care.
Per capita funding for community mental health ranges from $18.54 in
one region to $124.78 in another, creating wildly uneven access to
services across the province.

York Region is not exempt, Ms Zakoor said, noting we lack a
residential detox facility and there's only one early psychosis
centre staffed by 10 people. Poverty compounds mental health and
addiction challenges. Wait lists for subsidized and supportive
housing are years long and growing. The association treats 1,500
clients annually. Ms Zakoor estimates, conservatively, more than
10,000 residents would benefit from care if funding was available.

"It's about equity of services," she said. "Millions are provided to
hospitals for bricks and mortar, but there's never enough for mental
health and addiction services. It's not congruent with the LHIN plan.
From a helicopter view, things look good. But if you walk with us on
the ground, it's different and frustrating."

The independent movement to stir political will in York Region is
growing and necessary, Concord New Hope United Church Rev. Jim Keenan said.

With a mandate to research, educate and advocate on behalf of youth
with mental health issues, he serves as co-chairperson of the newly
established Vaughan Social Action Council. The service gaps and
challenges are huge, he said.

Vaughan mental health services receive only one third of the
provincial funding average. Citing anecdotal case histories and
municipal statistics, Rev. Keenan said 10 per cent of students suffer
from depression and anxiety, 33 per cent from psychological distress
and only 7 per cent get treatment.

"Funding should be distributed on the basis of population and growth," he said.

The government needs to develop policies in addition to funding
formulas, he added. His council and the alliance is a step in the
right direction.

"Getting service providers to share and not duplicate ideas is very
good," he said. "A collaborative table is invaluable. There's still a
lot of waste in social services funding. The key is to have two-way
communications with policy makers and have organizations nimble
enough to change."

Through the Ontario legislature's select committee on mental health
and addictions, all three political parties have agreed the province
needs a comprehensive mental health and addictions plan.

"Treatment for mental health and addiction issues right now is
determined by your postal code," Schizophrenia Society of Ontario
president Mary Alberti said. "Ontarians have a right to timely and
effective care, no matter where they live."

Early intervention is crucial when treating mental illness and
addictions and supportive housing is vital for recovery and
rehabilitation," Centre for Addiction and Mental Health president Dr.
Catherine Zahn said.

"Investing in mental health and addiction services is not only the
right thing to do, it also makes economic sense," she said.

Solutions exist, at least in the short term, Ms Zakoor said. She
recommends a focus on expanding on existing services and facilities.
The early psychosis centre treats up to 90 youth per year. For an
extra $800,000, the centre could double services.

For alliance information, visit vote4mha.ca

For details on the Vaughan Social Action Council, visit
vaughansocialactioncouncil.ca

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BY THE NUMBERS

20% -- Ontarians who will experience a mental illness or addiction
during their lifetime,

3% -- Ontarians who will suffer a severe and persistent disability as
a result of mental illness.

80% -- adults with a mental health issue who experienced their first
symptom before age 18.

10% -- Canadians older than 15 who will experience symptoms of drug
or alcohol dependence.

$18.54 to $124.78 -- range of spending per person for community
mental health across Ontario.

22 to 100 - range of days children and youth wait for a mental health
assessment across Ontario.

75% -- young people with a mental health problem who do not get the
help they need.