Leader Andrea Horwath unveiled seven pages of her party’s campaign platform on Sunday, pledging $ 1.15 billion to a Universal Mental Health plan that would allow Ontarians to access psychotherapy services using the OH card. “In Ontario, people are suffering silently because they can not afford treatment. “People leave their doctor or hospital for referral for counseling – knowing they need ongoing care, but knowing they will never be able to pay for it,” the platform said. “The guarantee of free mental health care will give people somewhere to turn. “It means we can tackle mental health challenges before there are mental health crises.” The first step in the plan will be to extend OHIP coverage to include at least six psychotherapeutic treatments, increasing the 12 sessions for patients who need it. The party will start this process with a direct investment of $ 500 million. “This approach allows people to start with six sessions and decide with their healthcare provider to enroll in the second step or move on to more sophisticated care,” officials said. The NDP will also fund Cognitive Behavioral Therapy training for physicians, nurses, community health workers and social workers to increase the number of professionals. Under the current OHIP system, mental health services are provided free of charge in the event of hospitalization or involvement in the criminal justice system. A family doctor or community nurse can offer treatment services if trained to do so. However, the waiting list can be long. “Most GPs do not have the training required to provide in-depth and ongoing psychotherapy and will refer patients to a psychiatrist. “The treatment options available to patients can be limited by the experience and know-how of the psychiatrist,” the plan states. “Many patients will benefit from speech therapy, while psychiatrists usually focus on medical approaches. There are nurses, social workers and community health workers who provide free or low-cost treatment to “community” mental health organizations. However, even these organizations have waiting lists. “ A new coordinating body called “Mental Health Ontario” will also be set up to work on public reporting of mental health data, including waiting list times. They will also help identify and develop mental health standards throughout the province and provide comprehensive mental health and addiction programs. The NDP also promises to reduce the waiting list for mental health services for children and young people to 30 days. In addition to $ 1.15 billion for Universal Mental Health Care, the NDP says it will commit $ 130 million over three years to reduce the waiting list for child mental health services, plus an additional $ 24 million in affiliate funding. Canadian Mental Health Association and $ 17 million for mobile crisis teams and safe beds. According to Horwath, for every $ 1 invested in mental health, an extra dollar will be saved in the long run for social services, emergency services and justice. Speaking to a large crowd at Evergreen Brickworks on Sunday, Horwath reminded residents of the promises her party had made in the past, including a $ 20 minimum wage. “When the dust falls on June 2, we will form a government and start doing it,” he said. “Hope is on the way.” Horwath said about 500,000 Ontarians with mental health problems do not have access to appropriate services because they do not have insurance. “Our Universal Mental Health Care Plan will provide the mental health services and treatment they need to everyone, from children to the elderly, from Windsor in the South to Red Lake in the North, from Cornwall in the East to Kenora in the West.” , Horwath told the crowd. “My friends, we will bring mental health services to OHIP where they belong!”
Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative Party, for its part, has pledged $ 3.8 billion over 10 years “to expand existing programs and fill care gaps with innovative solutions and services.” On the Ontario Green Party platform, $ 6.6 billion will be spent over four years on mental health and addiction services, including expanded OHIP coverage and a nationwide hotline. The Ontario Liberals have not yet released their campaign platform.
