Reducing barriers to mental health services

OTTAWA, March 30, 2012 /CNW/ - The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) congratulates the Government of Canada for recognizing in its 2012 budget the importance of mental health issues.

Mental disorders are a leading cause of disability in Canada and represent a significant burden on the economy, costing an estimated $51 billion each year in health-care costs and lost productivity.

"By investing in community supports for people living with mental illness, the Government of Canada is showing that it understands the importance reducing the barriers to mental health services," says Dr. John Higenbottam, co-chair of the CAMIMH. "It is vitally important that we look to the needs of the community when it comes to mental disorders and health promotion and that we respond to those in ways that are effective."

The federal budget earmarked $5.2 million dollars to seed the development for the Canadian Depression Research Intervention Network (CDRIN), a network for patient-focused depression research. With this investment by government, the CDRIN will be at the leading edge of innovative research on depression, and the transfer of innovative knowledge in a way that will benefit the patient with a particular focus on suicide and post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and will also include the development of a PTSD focused anti-stigma mental health training Continuing Medical Education programs for health-care professionals.

"We are pleased that Health Canada has directed funding to support research and knowledge transfer about causes and treatments for mental disorders," says Dave Gallson, co-chair of CAMIMH. "The simple acknowledgement that mental health is an important initiative for the federal government is encouraging. This boosts our efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and will help with next steps to ensure that Canada's children, youth, adults and seniors have access to needed services and supports."

About the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health
The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health is an alliance of mental health organizations comprised of health providers and organizations representing persons with mental illness and their families and caregivers. CAMIMH's mandate is to ensure that mental health is placed on the national agenda in order to improve the mental health of all Canadians and ensure that persons with a lived experience of mental illness and their families receive appropriate access to care and support.

Dave Gallson
Co-Chair, CAMIMH
[phone]
[email protected]