GuelphToday received the following Letter to the Editor from reader Noah Irvine, in regards to mental health and addictions:
Over the last year, many of us in this city have heard conversations regarding the ongoing, visible, mental health and addictions crisis in our downtown core. This is not another letter about the bylaw or encampments. I hope this letter will ignite a conversation on our province's civil mental health legislation.
In 2010, Ontario’s Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions wrote; “Ontario needs a comprehensive mental health and addictions plan… (we) held a frank discussion about the fact that it often takes a crisis to accomplish a major social or political challenge… That crisis has arrived.”
Three individuals of note, on the committee, who signed their names to the final all-party report including the above statement; former Minister of Health Christine Elliot, former Education Minister, Liz Sandals and current Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones. Each one of them, and their governments, have failed to take action on key recommendations including amending legislation that covers the scope of the mental health crisis.
All members of the committee agreed that the Mental Health Act 1996, the Health Care Consent Act 1996 and The Personal Health Information Protection Act 2004 all have to be amended to respond to, at that time, a crisis. If it was a crisis in 2010, what should be called today, other than, a total failure of our provincial leaders to lead? Two major parties have led this province since the report was tabled and neither of them has amended the above legislation.
The reason legislative changes were argued for in 2010, was that families who spoke to the committee noted the difficulty of treating, hospitalizing and understanding what care an individual was receiving in the hospital. The legislation in this province “strong arms” families and sets forth a low statutory threshold for capacity and treatment.
At this current time, we do not treat the mentally ill in hospitals. We medicate them, get them to reach the lowest statutory form of capacity and then release them. My late father was one such individual who met this low statutory bar. This is not humane. Fourteen years ago we recognized the inhumanity of our legislation and 14 years later, two major political parties later, and still no action.
The encampment crisis is a product of successive government inaction to repair a broken civil mental health system. If our municipalities want action, they must call upon the province to overhaul our broken civil mental health system. Money alone will not solve this crisis.
Sylvia Jones should remember the stories heard 14 years ago and should be compelled to take action. It is time for her and this government to Step Up and Do Better!
Noah Irvine,
Guelph, Ont.
