BR Mental Health Funding – CP

Source: The Canadian Press – Broadcast wire
Aug 29, 2016 

HALIFAX – Mental health organizations say a promise from Ottawa to improve access to services means the time is ripe to beef up a mental health system that trails the pack among comparable industrially developed nations.

Louise Bradley, executive director of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, says she’s cautiously optimistic something can be done through the upcoming round of discussions on a new health funding agreement between Ottawa and the provinces.

Bradley calls access to care “abysmal” in most parts of Canada and says the system is stretched as far as it can go.

Steve Lurie, executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Toronto branch, says a number of provinces have funded initiatives that, if scaled up appropriately, would make a big difference.

C-M-H-A’s national C-E-O Patrick Smith says he hopes Ottawa will target areas such as mental health for more support, even as the provinces call for more money overall through the funding formula.

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(The Canadian Press)

INDEX: HEALTH NATIONAL POLITICS