MHCC releases Canada’s first national mental health strategy

The document centres on six strategic directions:

1. Promote mental health across the lifespan in homes, schools and workplaces, and prevent mental illness and suicide wherever possible
2. Foster recovery and well-being for people of all ages living with mental health problems and illnesses, and uphold their rights
3. Provide access to the right combination of services, treatments and supports, when and where people need them
4. Reduce disparities in risk factors and access to mental health services, and strengthen the response to the needs of diverse communities and Northerners
5. Work with First Nations, Inuit and Métis to address their mental health needs, acknowledging their distinct circumstances, rights and cultures
6. Mobilize leadership, improve knowledge and foster collaboration at all levels

Action on these six directions is needed across and beyond the health system; it is acknowledged that policies and practices of a range of government departments impact on mental health, including education, justice, corrections, social services and finance.

In addition to government, the strategy identifies an action role for workplaces, non-governmental organizations, media, and others.

Key recommendations include ensuring that:

• People living with mental health problems or illnesses and families are engaged in planning, organization, delivery and evaluation of mental health services, treatments and supports
• Mental health service providers work with planners, funders and service users to identify and examine the changes needed to develop a system integrated around needs and recovery
• Governments take a comprehensive approach to address mental health needs, focus spending on improving outcomes, and address the underfunding of mental health
• Senior executives in the public and private sectors build workplaces that are mentally healthy, and that
• All Canadians promote mental health in everyday settings and work together to reduce stigma.

The strategy proposes that funding inequities be addressed by:

• Increasing the proportion of health spending allocated to mental health from seven to nine per cent over 10 years
• Increase the proportion of social spending for mental health by two percentage points
• Identify whether current mental health spending needs to be reallocated to improve efficiency and outcomes, and
• Engage the private and philanthropic sectors to contribute resources to mental health.

To read or learn more about “Changing Directions, Changing Lives: The Metnal Health Strategy for Canada”, please visit the MHCC strategy website at www.strategy.mentalhealthcommission.ca