Dealing with mental health
Glace Bay native wants to change system
A Glace Bay native says the problem with the mental health system is it’s designed to only treat people when they are very sick.
“The system waits for people to become ill,” said Todd Leader, a registered psychologist and registered social worker, who has spent the last 26 years working in the fields of health services and health promotion including mental health and addictions.
Leader said for example if someone with mild depression asks for medical assistance they would likely not qualify under the present system.
“We wait, the system isn’t designed to support people early to keep them healthy.”
And then the illness gets worse.
“A few months down the road, you’re in crisis now, actually reached a point of having very serious depression. You reached a point where you’re going to the emergency department. Now someone is going to see you because you qualify for the services.”
Leader said Canada offers only mental health treatment not mental health services.
“We need to keep a healthy person healthy.”
Leader feels strongly about the need to change the system and has written a book on the Glace Bay native Todd Leader will unveil his new book “It’s About Us” today from 6-8 p.m. at Cape Breton University.
subject and offers solutions.
He will be at the Cape Breton University Verschuren Centre atrium today from 6-8 p.m. to discuss his new book “It’s About Us,” The Secret of Transforming the Mental Health and Addiction System in Canada. A question and answer session is also scheduled.
“The book provides solutions to the problem,” he said. “Not how to tweak the system but to really make change.”
He said the system is designed around politics, money, keeping staff happy and convenient for people working in the system.
Leader is advocating a clientcentred
system.”
For example a client might earn minimum wage working Monday to Friday and to make an appointment with a mental health professional would be choosing between getting help or feeding the children. He said services should be available to fit the client’s needs with assistance available at night and on weekends.
Leader said the people working in the system are dedicated, hard working and do care.
“It’s not the people working in the system, it’s the system. We designed it to be best for the system not the client.”
Today’s session at CBU will include a panel of speakers including Keith Anderson, a lawyer from Sydney Mines.
“He’s a mental health advocate having had his own mental “It’s About Us,” The Secret of Transforming the Mental Health and Addiction System in Canada was written by Glace Bay native Todd Leader.
health problems. There will be talk from a personal perspective as well.”
There will also be students speaking on the need for the services and for change.
Leader said the book will help anyone or their loved one affected by addiction and mental health issues who want to advocate for a better system.