OTTAWA, ON--(Marketwired - February 16, 2016) - The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) and the Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) presented to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, as part of pre-budget consultations, an MHCC proposal for a national suicide prevention project and a joint MHCC/MDSC plan for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis and treatment. The MHCC is in a prime position to convene the knowledge, resources and people needed to advance work in these critical areas and secure meaningful results for Canadians: saved lives.
"Suicide is all too often the devastating outcome of mental health problems," said the Honourable Michael Wilson, MHCC Chair. "However, it's an outcome that we can and must prevent. To do so, we need a proven suicide prevention plan that uses key community members to recognize, identify and address signs of suicide risk, and then connect individuals to the appropriate help."
The suicide prevention model is based on proven programs in Québec and Europe, which have shown as much as 20 per cent reductions in their suicide rates. The MHCC's five-year plan requires an investment of $40 million. It would initially be implemented in 13 communities across Canada, with a focus on acutely at-risk populations including military members and veterans, Indigenous peoples, youth and middle-aged men.
"Initial implementation plans are helpful because suicide prevention initiatives are most effective when targeted to specific groups," said MHCC President and CEO Louise Bradley. "Mental illness does not discriminate, though. Suicide is an issue that affects any age, gender or cultural background. Sharing knowledge and best practices -- especially right where Canadians live, work and play -- will help establish a sustainable support and prevention network.
The joint proposal for a far-reaching training program for healthcare providers in Canada was developed by the MHCC and the MDSC. Its aim is to help in the early diagnosis and treatment of PTSD and requires an investment of $5 million over five years -- a low-cost, yet highly effective solution and expansion of existing complementary programs. Although 85 per cent of first responders and veterans seek help for mental illness from their primary care provider, more than half walk away without effective solutions. Canada's 80,000 physicians and 360,000 nurses are an excellent existing resource to recognize PTSD early enough for effective treatment.
"Regardless of how people living with PTSD experienced trauma, common among them all is the lack of diagnosis," said MDSC National Executive Director Phil Upshall. "Early intervention is crucial to providing effective treatment. Equipping direct care providers, such as physicians and nurses, the tools they need to properly identify PTSD and initiate treatment will help secure that early intervention."