System in crisis

A letter to the editor in the September 1st edition of the Halifax Chronicle Herald:

Re: "Mom: Give my daughter help" (Aug. 30). It is greatly disappointing that in order for Sheila Morrison’s daughter to receive aid, the mother of this acutely ill woman had to fight so hard to expose the inadequacies in the mental health system. Ms. Morrison’s plight with the system is one many Nova Scotian families are left to face as mental health services don’t get the level of attention necessary from the Department of Health.

Although Peter Croxall, director of Capital district health authority, praised Ms. Morrison for her advocacy work, his comments that the Abbie J. Lane facility are inadequate for modern mental health care cannot be ignored. They correspond with what families, patients and groups like the Canadian Mental Health Association have been trying to say for so long.

Our mental health care system is in a crisis. The media reports and the voices of family members like Ms. Morrison further encourage an independent financial review of mental health services that CMHA NS and other community agencies demanded in a press conference on Aug. 8. The Department of Health responded to this demand through the media, stating that a review of all health care services, including mental health, was being undertaken. Inquiries made to the department about this review have not unearthed a single answer yet.

Community agencies have recognized this crisis for a long time and until the government of Nova Scotia does so as well, and joins us to correct these inadequacies, it will be advocates like Ms. Morrison who will suffer and struggle to have their voice heard.

Carol Tooton, Executive Director, CMHA NS