One week ago the Mass Casualty Commission released its final report on the Nova Scotia mass shooting with a warning about mental health. The commissioners cautioned that communities impacted by the tragedy have not received the help they need to heal. They found the mental health needs of impacted communities were never met including Colchester, Cumberland, and Hants counties.
The final report says a public health emergency remains.
With a commission-imposed deadline for support quickly approaching, the province says it’s still not ready to commit.
“Trauma and mental health don’t wait,” says registered counseling therapist Margaret Mauger. “These are now. These are happening right now.”
The commissioners urge the province and the federal government to jointly fund a support program by May 1.
“And with what happened here with the mass shooting, that wound is so deep for some people,” Mauger says. “Some people who were affected by that event still have not tried to seek support because we’re all unique and those trauma symptoms may not present for months, weeks, years.”
She launched the After Trauma Empowerment Network (ATEN) in January 2020 to offer free counseling services in Shubenacadie. When it opened she was volunteering one day a week.
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Mauger says demand surged in wake of the pandemic and the Nova Scotia mass shooting, so she made the move to volunteer four days a week.
She says a proposal is out now to secure government funding to ensure the trauma center runs in the community for another year.
“There are so many different layers to trauma,” she explains. “It’s not just a matter of having five appointments and then all of a sudden your trauma symptoms are gone.”
Mauger says rural communities often face barriers to treatment including transportation and limited internet access.
Another barrier being faced across the province is lengthy waits for care. Mauger says Nova Scotians shouldn’t have to wait six months for help if they’re in a crisis.
The minister responsible for the Office of Addictions and Mental Health says it’s continuing to review the recommendations.
“I think it would be inappropriate to commit to that deadline today,” Brian Comer says.
The opposition parties say the early deadline serves as a marker of the province’s commitment to the report.
“I think it will demonstrate whether the government is committed to addressing first and foremost the needs of the families and community and that’s where those quick deadlines show up in that report,” says Nova Scotia NDP leader Claudia Chender.
Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Zach Churchill says his party is worried the government won’t follow through on the recommendations.
“So that’s something we’re going to be focused on is making sure that the provincial government is following through on its responsibility to execute on those recommendations,” he says.
Mauger says she wants to believe the province will make a move by May 1, but she won’t be shocked if that does not happen.