IMAGINE SOMEONE has a heart attack and is given a plan instructing them to stop eating fatty foods. If they have another heart attack, we don’t ask whether they followed their plan. We treat the heart attack. We don’t condemn them for the lifestyle that they may be living that’s causing the heart attack and requiring them to take up a bed in the ER.
Yet if someone has an addiction or mental illness, we start keeping count of the moments where they need support - whether they’ve lost their house, lost their job or used a substance to cope. Mental health and addiction support is consequence-based, and with each incident, people lose chances.
One out of every 5 Canadians will experience a mental illness this year. There has been a 79% rise in opioid overdose deaths since the onset of COVID-19. One in 4 youth struggle with their mental health. Each and everyone of of those people deserves our support.
By opening our doors and providing housing and support services to people experiencing complex mental health and substance-use concerns, we’re opening possibilities. Providing these services in Halton will build a healthier, stronger community.
As you’ll read in our Impact Report, by strengthening our services, aligning and developing our housing assets, and better integrating our supports within the care continuum, we’re ensuring that everyone who needs support - receives support.
