recently, opposition leader erin o’toole announced a five-point policy plan aiming to ensure that ‘no one is left behind’ in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic. one of these five points is mental health.while it is easy to be cynical about politicians’ mental health promises, o’toole has a long-standing commitment to mental health. he is a co-founder of the
true patriot love foundation, which supports mental health programs for veterans; and is also a co-founder of the lieutenant colonel sam sharpe veterans
mental health breakfast, which raises awareness of mental health issues on parliament hill.o’toole’s declaration lacked details, but still opens a window of opportunity for wider discussion of mental health issues, raising the question: what sort of federal level policies and new ideas might make a difference to mental health in canada?of course, the provinces have responsibility for the formal mental health care system such as psychiatric hospitals and specialist mental health clinics. these formal services are essential for the stabilization of people with mental illness, especially during psychiatric crisis and its immediate aftermath. however
some research indicates that such formal services are less effective in fostering long-term recovery and rehabilitation, as they tend to offer a narrow ‘one size fits all’ solution based on psychiatric medication.
provision of choice essential for mental healththis orientation has concerned mental health advocates, as
evidence suggests that there are different modalities of healing in the face of mental health issues, with preferences typically varying by gender, ethnicity, age and other demographic variables. this means that the provision of choice is essential to a comprehensive mental health care system, and opens up a space for federal funding of local programs.such choice is often found outside the formal provincially-funded mental health care system among the non-profit sector, often in locally-grounded community-driven mental health programs that sometimes focus on underserved and hard-to-reach populations. such programs come in different shapes and sizes and include a variety of options such as
peer support services,
recovery colleges,
clubhouses,
men’s sheds,
psychosocial rehabilitation centres,
ecotherapies,
drop-in centres, and
faith-based interventions.all of these serve particular needs, with some providing a listening ear, others offering help finding a job, which others impart useful self-help skills. importantly, there is a growing
evidence showing that these programs can be effective in bolstering the immediate mental wellness of people with common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, as well as fostering the long-term recovery and rehabilitation of people with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.moreover, these programs typically offer minimal-barrier access without long waiting lists or backlogs. however, they are often run on a shoestring budget with few paid staff and an annual scramble for funds to ensure their continuity. this is worrying, given that these programs are typically very popular and can offer a valuable return on investment to the canadian taxpayer, helping our fellow citizens move beyond medical stabilization to get back on their feet and successfully function within society.
in thinking about new mental health policy and potential funding opportunities, parliamentarians should prioritize action and support focused on these non-profit sector programs, which have often evolved organically to ably serve their communities in a focused and engaging manner.to be sure, such programs should not be considered a replacement for the formal mental health care sector provided by the provinces. but they could be a starting point for wider thinking about the role of the federal government in supporting mental health. indeed, these programs could be considered essential building blocks of a post-covid 19 ‘big society,’ with these small and local ‘little platoons’ (to use the language of edmund burke) well-placed to address local community mental health concerns.such a focus may help us all in our collective efforts to ensure ‘no one is left behind’ in terms of mental health in post-pandemic canada.
rob whitley is an associate professor in the department of psychiatry at mcgill university.don’t miss the latest 世界杯决赛2022. subscribe to healthing’s daily newsletter.
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