Group petitions for all-party mental health committee

Members of the Community Coalition 4 Mental Health backeda petition presented in Newfoundland and Labrador's legislatureon Thursday,urging parties to take a united front to tackle mental health issues.

Prior to going to Confederation Building, members met at Holy Heart of Mary High School in St. John's the spot where the group first held its public meeting on mental health.

• Mental health forum tackles stigma, calls for systemic change

MarkGruchy, president of the Canada Mental Health Association-Newfoundland and Labrador, said it is time the three parties in the legislature come together to find solutions to the many mental health problems plaguing the province.

"Society'sperception of mental health concerns and their priority has reached an all-time high,and we are at a point where we have this capacity for the first time historically, really to come together to speak with that one voice,"Gruchysaid.

"What needs to be done in the areas of mental health service provision we're talking about treatment, we're talking about homelessness, we're talking about poverty, we're talking about a great number of issues that touch pretty well everyone," Gruchysaid.

The coalition includes50 members and organizations in the mental health sector whose goal is to unify areas ofmental health.

New DemocratMHAGerry Rogers presented the petition, which contained over 1,000 signatures, to the House of Assembly on Thursday afternoon.

While Health Minister Steve Kent liked the idea, he did not agree to an all-party committee.

Instead, Kent said the government will embark on a new mental health strategy, which will begin with consultations in the new year.