Dr. Avnish Jolly, Winnipeg, Canada November 19, 2014 : A mental health condition is among five most common cause of death in Canada. According to findings of The Canadian Mental Health Association and Mood Disorders Canada, one in five Canadians and one in seven children suffer from mental health issues. The Mental Health Commission of Canada has estimated that the lifetime cost of untreated childhood mental disorders is $200B. Preventing conduct disorder in one child yields a lifetime savings of $280,000. In Canada the average for psychologists to individuals 47 per 100,000 and Manitoba’s average for psychologists to individuals is 20 per 100,000. According to the findings of research:
Mental health counseling services are available; users either utilize fewer or actually decrease their use of medical and hospital costs.
RCMP, Manitoba respond to on average 4573 calls a year related to mental illness since 2009. This number is increasing each year.
Almost 70% of adults with mental health condition started to demonstrate symptoms by age 15.
Rana Bokhari, Liberal Leader stressed, “We all know someone who experiences mental health issues on a daily basis. Whether it is a parent, a child, a sibling or a friend – mental health issues affect us all.”
In the press conference The Manitoba Liberal Party announces for a healthier Manitoba disclosed their plan would see psychologists across the province funded in a similar way to physicians to provide the services to children, pregnant women and individuals with stressed and PTSD would be covered by Medicare. The Liberal Plan would see a steady increase in funding for hiring and retaining more Mental Health Care providers in Manitoba. Liberals will invest $20 Million over four years to train, recruit and retain new Mental Health Care providers in Manitoba. These investments will lower the patient to psychologist ratio, as well as bring young, skilled professionals into Manitoba. A portion of these funds would be specifically allocated for rural and remote communities.
On this occasion Dr. Andrea Piotrowski, President, Manitoba Psychological Society shared that “Access to a psychologist is very limited here in Manitoba. Waitlists are long within the public health care system, and insurance coverage is minimal and there is considerable evidence that psychological treatments are cost and clinically effective. If implemented, today’s announcement will ensure that Manitobans receive the care that they need.”