October 2, 2011

Dougherty Pledges NDP support for Mental Health

ARNPRIOR: NDP candidate Brian Dougherty says that since the launch of his campaign, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke families have been telling him how distressed they are with cuts to mental health services, especially for children and youth. The former child support worker says parents are telling him that services “are horribly lacking here.”

“Parents often have to take trouble children to hospital emergency wards which are not equipped to serve them well,” said Dougherty who says he is proud to add his name to the growing number of Ontarians who have pledged support for the Children for Mental Health's campaign for more effective services for troubled children.

“Our party will work to increase funding for mental health across the province,” Dougherty said. He points out that there is only one location in this area helping the mentally ill, the Phoenix Centre in Pembroke, and that is “just simply not adequate.”

Dougherty recalls that like many people, he has known mental illness in his own family. His uncle suffered from schizophrenia. But his experience goes beyond the personal. He spent many years as a councillor working to improve the mental health of children and adults.

“We have seen mental health problems growing while the Liberal the McGuinty government makes empty promises and tries to skimp on support for those suffering from autism,” Dougherty says. The NDP, Dougherty says, is the only party that recognizes the seriousness of mental illness and will work to centralize services so that people who need help can get it quickly and effectively and have access to a full range of qualified professionals.

“Too many of our children are suffering while the McGuinty government dithers and focuses on tax cuts for wealthy corporations,” Dougherty said. “Ontario's mental health system is poorly funded and wait times for trouble people are far too long according to the Ontario Legislature's select committee on Mental Health. The committee met for 18 months and recommended the creation of a single body taking responsibility for the entire mental health and addictions system. The McGuinty government has largely ignored the Select Committee's recommendation but New Democratic Party will work to implement them.”

“Troubled people should not have to struggle with a maze of government offices and programs in order to get help,” Dougherty says. “Mental health is as important as physical health and the NDP will work to make sure support for mental health is available to everyone in this province who needs it.”

The commitment to mental health services is part of the NDP's pledge to work for health care that puts people first, Dougherty said. He points out that party leader Andrea Horwath is committed to four major improvements to basic health care.

The NDP, he says, will work to cut emergency room waiting times in half and give seniors the kind of support that will enable them to stay in their own homes instead of isolating them in hospitals and impersonal warehouses.

The party will campaign to end ambulance fees at one end and at the other end, cap payments to hospital bosses who have been getting fat salaries while nurses and front line health care workers get laid off.

“Our health care system is getting sick,” Doughery said. “It needs the kind of shot in the arm that only the NDP is ready to provide.”

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