Mental Health Week spans May 7th through 13th, with the goal of encouraging all Canadians to talk and learn more about mental health issues.
Elizabeth May, Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands and Green Party of Canada Leader, was pleased to attend the Champions of Mental Health Awards this week, at the invitation of the Canadian Medical Association.
“It was wonderful to celebrate these outstanding individuals and organizations who work so hard to raise awareness and generate action on mental illness. I applaud the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health for organizing this annual event,” said May.
The Green Party of Canada subscribes to the World Health Organization’s definition of health as “a complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
“The costs of mental illness are incredibly high,” said May. “Family life, school, and employment are all affected. Often there are issues of addiction and physical illness that must also be dealt with. It is imperative that the government support adequate services for mental health, especially for the young.”
The Green Party promotes a comprehensive approach to mental health including:
- An increase transfer funding for non-institutionalized mental health patients including children and youth to provide adequate community-based support and outpatient and inpatient care by mental health practitioners, including in rural Canada where lack of facilities and trained professionals is acute;
- Support for a public health initiative to reduce the use of psychoactive drugs through better rehabilitation and prevention programs, especially for children;
- Requirements for greater involvement of people dealing with personal mental health problems in research planning, policy development, program evaluation, and other decisions that affect their lives and communities.
Contact:
Debra Eindiguer
media@greenparty.ca
613-240-8921