Lack Of Funding For Mental Health

Thursday, 15 March 2018 05:43

The overwhelming long wait list for mental health services in Oxford county is now being considered a crisis.

OXFORD COUNTY - There is an urgent and growing need for counselling services in Oxford County, so much that it's being deemed a crisis.

The Oxford-Elgin Children and Youth Centre offers walk-in mental health counselling for children and youth and their parents or caregivers with no fee for service.

As quickly as those accessing the service walk in, they walk out after putting their name on a wait list to get help. The walk in model was originally implemented to eliminate a wait list, however the demand is so large, that ultimately people are told to simply return the next day to see if there is a counsellor available to help them.

OEYC projects needing an additional $1,375,000 to meet the demand of both Oxford and Elgin counties. Those working in the sector say the lack of funding from the government is to blame.

Executive Director of the Oxford-Elgin Children and Youth Centre, Mamta Chail-Teves says that there needs to be a solution and the sooner the better.

"The government needs to look at the child and youth mental health sector and look at how they can adequately fund a sector where the needs and demands are increasing, it is ultimately our children and our youth who are suffering."

Chail-Teves adds that the current average wait time for counselling services at OECYC is anywhere from three to six months.

"Unfortunately due to funding and resources we are not able to meet the needs."

Chail-Teves adds that the long wait doesn't help today's tech savy youth. Adolescents and youth are the first generation to spend their entire adolescence in the age of the smartphone. With social media and texting replacing face to face time with their friends and family. Some suggest this may be one of the reasons why they are experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), in the United States there was an increase of 23% in suicide attempts among youth between 2010-2015, with an increase of 31% in teens between 13-18 dying by suicide. The correlation comes in to play when you look at the fact that in 2015, 73% of teens had access to smartphones. In Canada the 2017 market research reports suggest that Canada has total 69.8% smartphone influence, which slightly outweighs the U.S. at 69.5%.

Professionals in mental health say the statistics such as these may continue to increase if attention is not given to this under funded sector.

As for the wait lists, OECYC is trying to move away from them as there are no resources to manage them. Instead, they are asking clients to come back to the walk in clinic in the event a person needs further supports. This of course, going against what all mental health professionals aim to practice; a continuity of care which is always best practice related to therapeutic rapport.