Ontario’s NDP leader is making a push for additional mental health and addictions care money in Northwestern Ontario communities.
Speaking in Thunder Bay Tuesday, Andrea Horwath stressed the region is underfunded in a number of areas.
“In the health care system but in social services, and homecare and long-term care. I mean you name it, there’s a lot of inequity.”
Horwath feels a lack of options and services is contributing to an opioid crisis across the region.
She says her party will continue to pressure the government for additional support for the north.
Horwath notes it was a mistake for Premier Doug Ford to cut $330-million from planned mental health and addictions funding in 2018.
Meantime, the province is helping health care workers facing mental health and addictions issues.
Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Michael Tibollo says $12.4 million over two years will help expand exisiting programs or develop new ones.
“When you think of the people that are providing the supports and services of the province of Ontario to Ontarians, we can’t forget that they themselves are human beings, that they themselves are exposed to very difficult circumstances, especially during COVID-19.”
The funding announcement includes:
-$5.9 million for a suite of mental health and addictions services for frontline health care workers through a number of hospitals, including self-referral and intake services, weekly online peer discussion groups, and access to confidential support from a clinician.
-$1.9 million for increased access to clinical psychologists specializing in trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and other psychological conditions through the COVID-19 Psychological Support program.
-$4.6 million for workplace mental health training to provide frontline health care workers and workplaces with the tools to foster mental wellness, including training for management and leadership, frontline health care workers and non-clinical staff.
The investment is over and above similar funding announced since the pandemic started.
The government is partnering with five hospitals, the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Ontario Psychological Association to offer the supports.
(With files from Randy Thoms and Kevin Jeffrey)
