25 recommendations are the result of last fall’s Mental Health Forum.
The report was released today at the Moncton Press Club.
Bien des personnes présentes lors du lancement du Rapport sur le Forum en santé mentale. pic.twitter.com/HJvxJuyKu5
— Gilles Vienneau (@gillesvienneau) May 18, 2016
Chair Albert Cyr says he had a personal stake in this forum because his son was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 16.
Cyr says he wanted to start a public discussion about mental health, and the access, or lack thereof to services by those in need.
“Access to services, eliminating waiting lists is a big step that should be focused upon, in physical health you don’t wait for three months to access services,” says Cyr. “You access services when you have an illnes.”
Cyr adds the primary care physicians need to be an integral part of mental health services and should be given all support necessary to be the first layer of help for those who need it.
“So that people that have a condition can be identified early, access services promptly so that we don’t have deteriorations which complicate the response of the health care system to their needs,” says Cyr.
He says this is the first step towards better coordination of different partners relating to evaluation, treatment and recovery.
“There’s nothing magical in trasnforming the system,” says Cyr. “We have to work together because we can listen to the perspective of those that went through attempts to access services and so the response of this present government is encouraging.”
For the full report, click HERE
