More supports needed for mental health, addictions, say chairwomen

Mental health and addictions services are underfunded, and community-based supports for mental well-being have been lacking in P.E.I. across five decades.

That was the conclusion to a recent discussion around mental health and addictions services for women held by current and former chairwomen of the P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women from the 1970s to the present.

The Chairs Circle shared concerns about struggling and stressed-out youth, women experiencing mental illness as a result of violence and then having to grasp and fight for help and parents, especially mothers, speaking up after losing children to illness or suicide. The women discussed basic income as a critical factor for mental wellness. Another factor is family violence.

“Part of making change in mental health and addictions services is recognizing the decades of research that have shown that trauma and abuse are connected to mental health,” said Kristin Lund, who chaired the advisory council from 2003-08. “Violence against women and girls means these frequently are a factor in women’s mental health,” Lund said. “We need mental health and addictions services that are specific to the needs of people who have experienced trauma, violence and abuse.”

Other former and current chairwomen who took part in the Chair Circle were Barb Currie (1977-78), Dianne Porter (1986-89), Anne Nicholson (1993-96) and Mari Basiletti, current chairwoman.

Basiletti is retired from a career in mental health that spanned almost 40 years.

“After all these years, the resources and funding for mental health and addictions are still very low, and there is little recognition of the costs to society when people are unwell,” she said.

There is no admission that there is a human and economic cost when people are lacking the treatment and supports needed to live their fullest lives and be their best selves.”

Basiletti pointed to hopeful signs that government is paying attention to mental health and addictions services for youth, especially the Insight program for mental health and the Strength program for addictions.

She also feels positive about the inschool mental health support teams being piloted beginning this September.