Sudbury – The union representing hospital professionals at the Northeast Mental Health Centre will sponsor a community forum on the future of mental
health services in the northeast.
Date: Wednesday, April 16
Time: 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Place: Sudbury Secondary School, Sheridan Auditorium
“We have waiting lists for mental health services and supports in our community,” said Dave Wiley, president of Local 666 of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. Wiley is a social worker at the Northeast Mental Health Centre.
Wiley pointed out the situation is even worse for people living in rural areas.
“If people with a chronic and serious mental illness move out of town, there are few services for them to access,” he said.
Admission to the forum is free. The public is welcome.
Speakers include:
· Monya Desloges, Executive Director, Peer Support Sudbury
· Dr. J.G. Gagnon, Chief of Psychiatry, Northeast Mental Health Centre
· Dr. R. Veluri, Consultant Psychiatrist, Northeast Mental Health Centre
· Janet Gasparini, Executive Director, Social Planning Councilof Sudbury
· Warren (Smokey) Thomas, First Vice-President/Treasurer, OPSEU
The moderator is Dr. Richard Carriere, Professor of Social Work at Laurentian University.
In November, OPSEU released a report, Reality: Ontario’s Mental Health Care System isn’t Working. The report details cuts to mental health services across Ontario and is available at http://www.opseu.org/bps/health/mental/index.htm
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For more information:
Dave Wiley, (705) 522-0702
