Comprehensive, sustainable treatment

Every day people fall through the gaps in our mental health system. Therapy is costly and requires navigating a web of bureaucracy to access, even for people with the funds to do so.

People who are in crisis often find themselves stranded; a referral from a GP leads to nothing. A 48-72 hold has no followup. Insurance for meds is a patchwork. There are few legal tools available for the loved ones of people whose illnesses present a threat to their safety.

And when you or your loved ones call 911 because you're in a serious crisis, there's no telling if the people who show up will have the tools or the skills or the willingness to resolve the issue peacefully.

The first priority is to expand the Mobile Crisis Intervention Team (a trained psychotherapist with a police officer as bodyguard) to be available 24/7 everywhere.

The second is to train all police on the peaceful de-escalation of crises, and to equip everyone not actively embedded in a sensitive investigation like criminal conspiracy with a body camera that must be running during public interactions.

The third is to fund psychotherapy for all. We cannot wait on the Province to move on this. People who are suffering and their loved ones deserve help.