Federal and provincial governments are getting a resounding ‘F’ from Canadians when it comes to providing mental health and substance use health care services, according to the second annual National Report Card survey from the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH). 

Finding and getting timely access to publicly funded mental health care services is important to 90 per cent of Canadians, while 83 per cent agree that provincial governments should hire more mental health care providers to improve access to care. 

Yet, across the four report card categories of (1) access, (2) confidence, (3) satisfaction, and (4) effectiveness of publicly funded mental health services, Canadians gave federal and provincial governments a collective grade of ‘F’, representing a decline over last year’s grade of ‘D’. Similarly, governments were given a collective grade of ‘D’ when it comes to substance use health services. 

“This report card tells us that all governments are not moving nearly fast enough nor making the necessary investments to improve timely access to mental health and substance use health services,” said Florence Budden, CAMIMH Co-Chair and a registered nurse. “Canadians are even more dissatisfied that our governments are woefully out of touch when it comes to meeting their mental health and substance use health needs and clearly, much more needs to be done.” 

Need for accelerated action and accountability

Compared to other developed countries like France and the United Kingdom, Canada has the lowest proportionate spending on mental health, leaving significant room to increase its public investments to improve and expand coverage for both mental health and substance use health care services. It also needs to introduce new federal legislation – a Mental Health and Substance Use Health Care Parity Act – that places the importance and value of mental health and substance use health services on an equal footing with
physical health care. 

“Without additional sustained government funding and system innovation, a national legislative framework, enhanced public accountability and data measurement, Canadians will not see the critical changes they need to have timely access to mental health and substance use health care services,” said Ellen Cohen, CAMIMH Co-Chair. “Our governments need to do more and act faster – failure cannot be an option.” 

Substance use health services are vital

This year’s survey also included specific questions on substance use health services across the same four categories and again found that Canadians gave the government a collective poor grade of ‘D’. Notably, three-quarters of respondents feel that it is important for governments to support the healthcare workforce with education on substance use health (72 per cent), as is access to timely substance use health services (74 per cent). 

“Historically, people with substance use health concerns have had no place to go except through a mental health door and then are often told they are in the wrong place,” said Anthony Esposti, CEO of CAPSA, a member of CAMIMH.  “This report card reveals how services for people with substance use health concerns are lacking. Canadians deserve better and CAMIMH members are committed to working with governments to improve the lives of the people in Canada.” 

For more details on the results of the Report Card, please visit camimh.ca