Ottawa, ON – Progress for Mental Health congratulates the Government of Ontario on introducing Budget 2019: Protecting What Matters Most and welcomes much-needed investments in mental health and addictions.
Budget 2019 makes commitments to help people by investing $3.8 billion for mental health, addictions and housing support over ten years, beginning with the creation of a mental health and addictions system.
Budget 2019 proposes to support the critical work of emergency health first responders, by continuing to invest in supports for mental health and to support emergency health first responders who have post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“We are so excited to see the Government of Ontario announce its commitment to support emergency health first responders,” said Andrea Swinton, CEO of Progress for Mental Health. “We look forward to working with government stakeholders as funding supports emergency health first responders and applaud the designation of June 27th as PTSD Awareness Day.”
Budget 2019 proposes devoting funding for mental health and addictions care to direct services as far as possible by finding administrative efficiencies in the system and by providing a new Consumption and Treatment Services model and Rapid Access Addiction Medicine clinics to provide specialized treatment and referrals to people with addictions.
“We look forward to working with government stakeholders as it identifies system efficiencies to improve the lives of Ontarians living with mental illness,” said Swinton .
Progress for Mental Health is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of the one in five Canadians living with mental illness. We envision a world where mental health is treated equally to physical health. Our mandate is Science | Discovery | Innovation.
