Zero increase for children’s mental health unacceptable: “Who will be there to look out for the children?”

April 1, 2008

TORONTO – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union says the Liberal government can’t create better lives for Ontario’s kids without at least providing cost-of-living increases to children’s social service agencies in this year’s Budget.

OPSEU says that with zero funding increases for children’s mental health, among other social services, agencies providing these services will have less money to provide services after inflation is taken into account.

“This situation is unacceptable,” says OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. “It’s going to mean further service cuts and staff cuts at agencies across the province. This means children will be put at risk.”

Deb Gordon, chair of OPSEU’s community services committee, says many employers and parents who rely on these services share the union’s concerns. “It isn’t just the union – agencies and communities are upset too,” she says. “Our aim is to meet with the responsible Minister to express our shock that children’s services appear to be moving backward rather than forward in this province.”

Gordon, who works in the children’s mental health sector, said the reality is sinking in for thousands of front line clinicians. Agencies are already telling staff that layoffs are possible. “With thousands of children already on waiting lists for mental health services, this zero increase is completely untenable. If our services are cut, who will be there to look out for the children?”

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