SONIA FURSTEANAU -- Accessible, no-charge mental health care is possible, but our government must prioritize it

 

Yesterday (Wednesday) evening I had the great pleasure of speaking with Dr. Simon Elterman, Dr. Erika Penner, Dr. Lesley Lutes and Nazanin Moghadami about what accessible mental health care could look like in BC.  The conclusion was clear … accessible, no-charge mental health care is possible, but our government must prioritize it by including psychologists in our primary care system. British Columbia has the highest rate of hospitalizations due to mental illness and substance use disorder of anywhere in Canada.  A vast majority of British Columbians cannot afford to see a mental health care professional. Yet, looking at our universal healthcare system in Canada, we would never allow cost to be a barrier to seeing a physician. As Dr. Penner said, “We do not have a healthcare system. We have a medical care system that treats our body like it is cut off at the neck.” We’re calling for psychologists to be covered under our primary care system, so British Columbians can have access to high-quality, no-charge mental health care. Please sign our petition to show the provincial government that mental health care needs to be prioritized in BC ... CLICK HERE Mental health care should be available to us as soon as it’s needed. Just like we wouldn’t leave a broken arm unmended, we can’t leave people experiencing mental illness without fast, professional, reliable care.  With thanks,  Sonia Furstenau (she, her)  Leader | MLA for Cowichan Valley  BC Green Party  PLEASE NOTE … if you missed the event, you can still watch the recording. CLICK HERE