EDMONTON – A new government report has found the province’s addictions and mental health system does not provide sufficient care to meet the needs of Albertans.
According to the report, led by Dr. Cam Wild, about 48 per cent of those surveyed said at least one their needs were not met when it comes to accessing addictions or mental health services.
The most commonly problem reported was a lack of access to counselling. The service is offered through Alberta Health Services, but there is often a long wait to see a therapist. And many respondents said they couldn’t afford couselling services in the private sector.
Another finding of the report – which surveyed 6,000 randomly selected adults – showed the system is operating reactively, rather than proactively, and patients are required to seek care at physician’s offices and specialty clinics.
“It really is a mess,” Alberta NDP health critic David Eggen said. “It just shows the depth to which our mental health system has not been organized properly.”
The report also outlined the majority of resources are invested in providing care for adults.
“There’s just so many bits and pieces every which way. We’re not focusing under the public health delivery system what we need for Albertans,” Eggen explained.
- ‘She gets to be 10’: Ontario child’s heart donated to girl the same age
- Bird flu risk to humans an ‘enormous concern,’ WHO says. Here’s what to know
- Buzz kill? Gen Z less interested in coffee than older Canadians, survey shows
- Shoppers faces proposed class action over claims company is ‘abusive’ to pharmacists
The Alberta Government released the report on Friday night. Calls to the government went unanswered, but the Health Minister’s press secretary provided the following statement:
“Our focus on expanding access to mental health and addictions services for all Albertans, especially children and youth, will be greatly aided by this report and accelerate progress. This comprehensive inventory of services and survey data included in the document will help ensure the success of our provincial addictions and mental health strategy, which we began implementing in 2012,” Matthew Grant said in an emailed statement.
The ‘GAP-MAP’ report, which was meant to find the gaps in Alberta’s system, estimates 20 per cent of Alberta adults experienced an addiction or mental health problem in 2012.
About $753 million were spent on mental health and addiction programs in 2010-2011. The collected data is intended to be used to create a better service model in Alberta.
The entire report can be read below:
Gap Analysis of Public Mental Health and Addictions Programs (GAP-MAP) Final Report
With files from Cheryl Oates, Global News.
Comments