Children’s Mental Health Centres across Ontario will be hit with program cuts, shutdowns and layoffs starting today in Sarnia, Leeds-Grenville, and Kingston. This will result in longer wait times for children in crisis.
Core funding for child treatment has been frozen since 1993, and the government did not properly fund Proxy Pay Equity between 1999 and 2002. This has forced employers into drastic action to avoid deficits.
“The whole system of children’s mental health is a house of cards ready to collapse,” said Deb Gordon, Chair of OPSEU’s Child Treatment Sector. “These drastic measures will put more pressure on the health care system, the education system, and the justice system, all of which are more expensive and less appropriate ways of dealing with children in
crisis.”
“The layoffs, shutdowns, staff attrition and cuts will also increase the pressure on overworked staff in our children’s aid societies, who refer children and youth for our services,” she said, noting the average wait for treatment for children and families in crisis is already 21.6 weeks. “As a result of short term thinking, we as a society are
creating ‘social deficits’ that may not be reparable in the long term if we do not address this problem immediately.”
OPSEU recommends ending competition for funding with other sectors such as Children’s Aid, and the development of Social Policy that ensures stable funding for children’s mental health centres.
OPSEU’s Child Treatment Sector represents about 2,000 child and youth care workers, social work/family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, speech and language therapists, infant therapists, resource consultants, residential counsellors, and administrative support (secretaries, accounting clerks), working in 27 child treatment centres.
BACKGROUNDER: Children’s Mental Health Centres
-30-
For further information and local contacts:
Deb Gordon, OPSEU CTS Sector Chair: (519)-332-6594
