NSNDP

July 30th, 2021

NDP will create mental health emergency response teams to help people in need

HALIFAX – Today, NDP Leader Gary Burrill met with Michael Liegis of Halifax, who has experienced the challenges of drug addiction, homelessness, and mental health crises without the support of emergency mental health services.

“When you or someone you love is facing a mental health emergency, they need help immediately. No one who needs mental health care should be forced to wait days, weeks or months to get it,” said Burrill. “The Liberals had eight years to address the crisis in mental health care and their inaction is hurting real people and their families who are forced to watch a loved one in pain or struggle for help.”

Police are often required to respond to mental health emergencies, something they are not trained to do. Police services across the province have said they are not suited to respond to mental health crises.

“Locking someone up for mental illness or addictions does not treat the issue. It’s just a temporary solution to an ongoing problem. We need to de-stigmatize mental illness and addiction.” said Michael Liegis.

Liegis has been sober for almost two years.

Nova Scotia has only one emergency mental health response program. The Mental Health Mobile Crisis Team is based in HRM and manages crises including thoughts of suicide, distorted or psychotic thinking, intense anxiety, overwhelming depression, and feeling unable to cope and out of control.

“Mental health emergencies put people and their families at risk,” said Burrill. “Families need to know that wherever they are in the province if they are experiencing a mental health emergency, help is there for them. The NDP will deliver emergency mental health support across the province for those who need it.”

An NDP government will build teams in all four regional health zones to respond to mental health emergencies with mental health professionals.

Expanding emergency mental health care will cost $3.75 million per year and is part of the NDP’s commitment to fund mental health to a level of 10 per cent of total health care spending.

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