Ross River, Yukon, residents desperate for mental health services

ShaneGladahad been missing for about four days before his body was discovered in a little gully just metres from some houses in Ross River, Yukon, last October.

The cause of death has not yet been determined. But people in Ross River sayGlada, 22,needed help, desperately, to deal with psychosis.

Glada'suncleGordPeter saidShane'sbehaviour and personality changed abruptlywhen he was about 15.

"At the beginning I took him down to the health centre and he was taking medication," Peter said. ButGladadidn't like the side effectsand stopped taking it.

It's not clear whetherGladaever received an actual diagnosis. He hada support worker for some time, a local personwho made sure he tookhis medication and oversaw his welfare. But that assistance didn't last.

Neighbours looked out for him

According to a source who has intimate knowledge of the community's mental health needs,Glada'scondition was so severe that "he should have been committed" into the secure medical unit at Whitehorse General Hospital.

Thatnever happened. Instead,Gladalived with another elderly uncle, who's hard of hearing and doesn't understand a lot of English. People in the community say they generally kept an eye out forGlada.

Because of his psychosis,Gladafrequently didn't eat. ResidentLloyd Caesar said he would giveGladanutrition shakes and moose broth in an attempt to get some food into him. "Everyone acknowledged that he was very undernourished," the source said.

Peter agrees thatGlada"fell through the cracks"and said he too tried to keep an eye on his nephew.

"Just before his death I was talking with the [mental health]person that visits from Dawson," Peter said. "I told her to go check on Shane, and see if you can help him out in any way." That was right around the time thatGladawent missing.

'People depend on their family'

Peter's own 22-year-old son has psychosis and he spends much time taking care of him. Peter saidin Ross River, family is pretty much the only option for care for people with mental illnesses.

"I don't know what kind of services they have for mental health in Whitehorse, but here, people depend on their family members," he said.

NoraLadueagrees. Her daughter is in her early 30s and has psychosis,with periodic 'breaks'.Laduesays seeing a mental health worker twice a month isn't nearly enough care.

"People don't get sick once every two weeks," she said. "It would be really, really good if we could have our own person here."Laduesaid it's a challenge to get help for her daughter without adequatemental health care in the community.

"They have to pretty well almost hurt somebody or themselves before they get the help they need."

'The largest gap in service'

It's no secret that psychiatric care and mental health services are below par in the territory.

"Psychiatry and care of the mentally ill patient is probably the largest gap in service in the Yukon," wrote WayneMacNicol,chief of medical staff at the Yukon Hospital Corporation, in his 2015 annual report.

MacNicolcited the lack of a proper psychiatric hospital unit, poor coordination of services in the communities, lack of proper triaging and a lack of follow-up on patients treated in the secure unit.

The CEO of the Yukon Hospital Corporation, JasonBilsky, told the Yukon legislature last fall that the "secure medical unit [at Whitehorse General] is only intended to be a safe environment for acute mental health patients" who are in crisis.

There, they're stabilized,assessed and offered basic care. "It's definitely not a psychiatric program, which does not exist in the territory,"BilskytoldMLAs.

All of this may come as news to health minister Mike Nixon. Last November, he told the legislature "Ross River is a great example of collaborationbetween health, mental health and social services and First Nation staff to put client and patient first and wrap services together for greater access and improved outcomes."

NoraLaduesaid Nixon's sunny assessment is wrong. "We're remote, We don't even have a bus here. We don't have taxi, we don't have a plane, unless it's amedevac," she said.

"It's really, really hard when you need help, it's not there. And it's very frustrating. So I don't know where the health minister is getting all his information, I don't see him out here."

The Yukon Department of Health and Social Services did not respond to repeated requests for comment.