Better mental health services focus of emergency legislature debate

The province's mental health system is in crisis-mode and needs to be revamped, according to Nova Scotia's Progressive Conservative Party.

The state of available mental health programswas the topic of an emergency debate called Thursday,the first evening of the fall session of the provincial legislature.

"We have to do better," partyleader Jamie Baillie said.

The Tories started a petition this summer asking for an inquiry into the province's mental health system.So far it hashundreds of signatures.

"For a physical illness, our system is there for peopleor at leastit certainly should be,"Baillie said.

"It should be the same for mental illness."

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Fran Morrisonattended the debate and says the entire system needs a makeover. Her son Eric took his own life in 2011, she said.

"He went to the crisis unit at the QEIIand got sent home with a pill,"Morrison said.

"He was then followed up by a social worker who did not take his suicide seriously."

Debate attendees share horror stories

Fellow attendee Laurel Walker has dealt with depression and anxiety for most of her life, she said.She leftNova Scotia to get treatment at an Ontario clinic at one point, she said.

"The province returned a letter to me saying, 'We don't have sufficient services here in Nova Scotia'," Walker said. "'We are going to fund your treatment away at Homewood',"a healthcare facility in Guelph,Ont.

The province is short programs, includinga mental health unit at the Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow closed this summer because of a staffing shortage.

Despitea recruitment program, the hospitalstillhasn'tfound sufficient nursing and psychiatry staffto re-open the facility,EvertonMcLeanofthe Nova Scotia Health Authority said.

Mental illness an issue for all, says health minister

Health Minister Leo Glavineagreedthere are gaps in the mental health system that need to be addressed.

"I think this is an issue for all Nova Scotians to be engaged in,"Glavine said at the debate.

"As I said in the house today, we all have to be part of the solution here."

While Glavine wouldn't say the provincial mental health system is in crisis, he did saythere is a lot of work to do to plug gaps.

Glavine saidhe hopes to learn more about those gaps when he tours provincial healthcare facilitiesearly in the new year.