Canada Auditor General finds Ontario failed to provide adequate mental health services for youth – JURIST
Ontario’s auditor general Bonnie Lysyk on Monday released a scathing report highlighting and condemning the provincial government’s failure to provide adequate mental health services for children and youth. The auditor general’s office also emphasized that the deficiency undermines the fundamental principles of fairness and equality under the rule of law and recommended that the Ministry adopt a needs-based approach to allocate resources to better support child and youth mental health in the province.
The report highlights that despite multiple government commitments to improve mental health services, waiting lists for counselling and treatment had lengthened dramatically, with some children waiting over a year for initial assessments. The report also found that the average wait time for intensive treatment for children and youth who experience impaired functioning because of their mental health problems was 105 days, an increase from 94 days the year before.
Additionally, the report noted significant staff shortages, which have also been noted by the Ministry, and would likely lead to increases in hospitalizations and emergency room visits. The report’s findings align with the previous investigations by the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which has repeatedly called for equitable access to mental health services for children, particularly those from marginalized communities.
In Canada, as per the Supreme Court’s decision in Eldridge v. British Columbia, governments are obligated to provide equitable access to essential services for vulnerable populations. Section 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees equal rights and protection from discrimination. Further, the Ontario Mental Health Act outlines the powers and obligations of psychiatric facilities and access to mental health services in the province.
This report comes months after a Canadian NGO challenged the assisted dying law for excluding individuals with mental disorders as discriminatory. This also comes after a CAMH Survey showed 51 percent of Ontario students reported psychological distress, which contrasts with only 13 service areas that offer live-in treatment.
