Mental Health
Emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals and their families are finding access to crucial mental health supports harder to access now than ever. Canadians need access to critical healthcare at the right time to work through a variety of mental health issues, ranging from substance use addictions to PTSD.
Each year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will experience a mental health problem or illness. The Canadian Association of Mental Health (CAMH) reports that 6.7 million Canadians experience mental health issues costing the country $51 billion a year. Mental illness affects people of all backgrounds, ages, income levels, and cultures; however, systemic inequalities and the social determinants of health racism, poverty, homelessness, discrimination, among others, contribute to mental health disparities within and across populations, especially individuals from high priority and equity-deserving communities.
CHCs provide equity-informed, person-first, community-based care containing safe and fulfilling programs to support the mental health and wellbeing of the communities they serve. Leveraging Budget 2024, CACHC calls upon the Federal Government to allocate investments from the new Youth Mental Health Fund, Mental Health for Black Canadians Fund, and funding to support Indigenous mental health services to CHCs to deliver accessible, equitable, and culturally-informed mental health support to high-priority populations across Canada. With sustainable funding, CHCs can continue to deliver wraparound and holistic health and social services to support the mental health and wellbeing of Canadians.
