One in five.
One in five Canadians will struggle with mental health or illness in any given year.
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, roughly eight per cent of adults will suffer from major depression at some point in their lives.
The same organization notes that 24 per cent of all deaths among 15 to 24-year-olds, and 16 per cent among 25 to 44-year-olds, are by suicide.
Meagan MacEachern The MacEachern Mindset
Mental health is not something to be taken lightly.
That’s why when the RCMP have a file relating to someone’s mental wellbeing, they do what’s right by transporting them to a dedicated mental health facility.
So you’re probably wondering, well what’s the problem then?
The closest one is in St. Paul.
But it’s not only the transporting that takes up time.
In some cases, once the officer and the patient get to the centre, there isn’t a bed available right away, so they wait.
The other closest facility in our region is Fort McMurray, but I’m sure you can guess how often that trip is made.
Every two years, Alberta Health Services conducts a bed survey. This includes how many beds are dedicated to mental health patients.
The latest report was done on March 31, 2018, and the results are startling.
In the AHS North Zone, which includes all of the Lakeland and northern Alberta, there is an approximate population of 492,946. However, there are only 39 beds dedicated to mental health patients.
The most comparable area, in terms of population, is the central zone, with just shy of 489,000 people. This area has 330 psychiatric beds and 31 community mental health beds, which are explained further in our article on Page 1.
What this tells me is our zone is lacking.
The north zone has some of the most isolated areas of the province, our communities are struggling because of the downturn in the economy, and the number of patients needing care isn’t decreasing.
According to the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre, the Bonnyville, Cold Lake, and St. Paul hospitals have just as many intakes for mental health as a dedicated facility.
So why aren’t we getting the same attention as our southern counterparts?
I know it’s not as simple as snapping your fingers or asking your fairy godmother to make it happen. I know that there’s funding and staffing needed, but just because it’s going to be hard, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.
As someone who has stared depression in the face, I know how difficult it can be to even reach out for help.
I’m glad city council is stepping up and putting some pressure on the province to do something, let’s just hope it’s not too little too late.
