For Immediate Release
November 28, 2024
NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) is demanding to know why government is failing the people of the province on mental health. It’s disheartening to people struggling with mental health issues and their families that government is not spending the full 9% on mental health in this province.
One of the recommendations from the Towards Recovery report, targeted at addressing mental health in the province, was to raise spending to 9% of the health care budget on mental health support and initiatives. Since 2022, government has been saying that they are spending the full 9% budgeted for mental health, but a report from the Canadian Mental Health Association shows government is only spending 6%.
“It’s appalling that government is not spending the full 9% on mental health in this province. There is so much we should be investing in to ensure people in this province have access to the supports they need,” said Dinn. “9% is no longer enough. The Canadian Mental Health Association in Newfoundland and Labrador says that government needs to double their spending to 12% that would see us in line with other provinces. We need to invest in mental health and well-being in this province.”
Despite the checkmark’s government put next to the recommendations in the Towards Recovery report, Dinn says it’s clear they didn’t do the hard work required to implement them.
“The State of Mental Health in Canada 2024 report shows the stark realities of how mental health is impacting people in our province. We have the highest rate of self-harm among the provinces,” said Dinn. “Just last month a Canadian Institute for Health Information report showed that we have the longest wait times in the country for mental health counselling. I have to ask the Premier, does he think this is good enough?
“A new facility is great, but what is this government doing to ensure the recruitment and retention of mental health care workers, and ensuring that people are seen in a timely manner to address their issues? That is something we should be spending on.
“Government spending any less than the 9% recommended in the report is a failure to people who are struggling to find supports. When will this government finally make mental health a priority in this province?”
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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca
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