 Our Speaker Louise Bradley  Dr. Wally Temple Thanking Our Speaker | Therese Takacs introduced Louise Bradley, President and CEO of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. The mission of the MHCC is to meaningfully contribute to Canadians' wellness by providing world-class mental health courses. The MHCC courses offer Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) to people developing mental health problems or experiencing mental health crises. Ms. Bradley delivered a thought-provoking presentation addressing the state of mental health in Canada, why everyone should care about it, and what we can all do about it. She described how the stigmatization of mental health problems and discrimination against people suffering through them are alive and well in Canada. She also highlighted the prevalence of mental health issues in Canada, noting that 6.7 million Canadians experience mental health issues at some point in their lives, as compared to 1.4 million Canadians with heart disease or 2.4 million Canadians with Type 2 diabetes. While mental health conversations are certainly more prevalent than in the past, actions still lag the discussions. It typically takes eighteen months to see a mental health specialist. People do not consider mental illnesses as terminal conditions, but there are, on average, eleven suicides in Canada every day. There are probably many more, but medical professionals often do not recognize suicides and record other causes of death. Additionally, mental health issues underpin the opioid crisis. In these circumstances, eighteen-month wait times constitute real health risks. One solution to this problem is Stepped Care 2.0. Adapted from a UK model, Stepped Care 2.0 aims to reduce the burden of mental illness on society through more efficient self-corrective systems of care offering the lowest level of intervention intensity warranted by the initial and ongoing assessments. Treatment intensity can be either stepped up or down depending on the level of client distress or need. Rapid access to required care is essential. |
Mental health apps represent solutions to this problem; however, the MHCC has evaluated many mental health applications and found them wanting. The guidance provided in many popular mental health apps does more harm than good. Despite this, E-mental health can deliver timely, effective mental health services through apps and other technologies. Alongside face-to-face mental health support, e-mental health can provide the right care solutions when and where people need it. E-mental health offers shorter wait times, quick access in rural and remote areas and inner cities, availability in many languages, cost-effective delivery, and services tailored to specific habits and genetic profiles.
Additionally, the MHCC offers a wide array of mental health toolkits and training. Its Roots of Hope project develops community-led initiatives that aim to reduce the impacts of suicide within communities across Canada. The project builds upon community expertise to implement suicide prevention interventions tailored to the local context.
The prevalence of mental health issues should concern us all. In any given week, 500,000 Canadian workers call in sick because of mental health issues, and mental health is the leading cause of disability claims. In addition to workplace absenteeism, "presenteeism," low workplace productivity due to mental health issues, is an equally costly problem. Estimates place the cost of presenteeism at $51 billion per year and growing exponentially. Alberta workers in the oil and farming sectors, and survivors of the Fort McMurray wildfires, experience increasing mental health issues each year.
The MHCC promotes programs known to be effective in treating mental illness. These include The Working Mind First Responders(TWMFR), formerly known as Road to Mental Readiness, an education-based program designed to address and promote mental health and reduce the stigma of mental illness in a first-responder setting. This training program improves short-term performance and long-term mental health outcomes, reduces barriers to care, and provides the tools and resources required to manage and support employees who may be experiencing a mental illness.
After a lively question and answer session, Dr. Wally Temple thanked our speaker for her information-packed presentation.