October 21st, 2020

NDP calls on Ford to stop underfunding youth mental health

QUEEN’S PARK — NDP critic for Mental Health and Addictions Bhutila Karpoche (Parkdale—High Park) is calling on Doug Ford to stop underfunding mental health services for children and youth.

“Doug Ford cut $330 million in planned mental health funding, and since then has only replaced tiny fractions of what he took away. For children and youth — who can be forced to wait as long as 18 months for mental health services in Ontario — these cuts and Ford’s ongoing underfunding are dangerous. I strongly agree with Children’s Mental Health Ontario, who called today’s drop-in-the-bucket funding announcement incredibly disappointing, because it falls well short of what’s needed.

Children should not have to wait for mental health care. The wait can be the difference between life and death, as a child’s mental health struggles can spiral into crisis.

My bill, the Right to Timely Mental Health and Addiction Care for Children and Youth Act, seeks to cap wait times for children and youth seeking mental health and addiction services at 30 days. I strongly urge Mr. Ford and the Conservative government to stop short-changing children and youth, start investing in young people’s mental health, and pass my bill to end the dangerous waiting and lack of services.”