NDP marks the beginning of Mental Health Week

NDP Mental Health and Harm Reduction critic Gord Johns made the following statement:

“Today, on this first day of Mental Health Week, we stand with the millions of Canadians who are unable to access reliable, quality mental health care as they cope with anxiety, depression, mental health disorders or mental illness in their daily lives.

At some point in our lives, most of us will be touched by mental health issues, whether ourselves, someone we love, a friend, a neighbour or a co-worker.

And yet, cost-free care is not available for those in need through our universal health care system in the same way as it is for physical health, for a broken leg or a ruptured appendix. Too many must turn to for-profit services if they can afford them.

Many Canadians receive services through community non-profit organizations, which provide compassionate care through skilled mental health caregivers – but these organizations shouldn’t be forced to fill the gap because there’s nowhere else to go. Many are in rural communities far away from hospitals and government services, but all are underfunded and in desperate need of sustainable support from the federal government.

Mental health matters. Join New Democrats on this day, and every day, in the fight for parity of mental health care in our universal system, for better support for community-based service delivery and for compassion and kindness in our response to the mental health needs of Canadians.”