OTTAWA – This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW). Coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, the week is designed to educate Canadians about the realities of mental illness. The Green Party of Canada is of the opinion that mental illness is an issue that deserves more attention.
On October 2nd, Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands, will take part in MIAW’s Breakfast on Parliament Hill. “Mental illness, like any other illness, requires a concerted national strategy for prevention and treatment. As MPs, we can help in bringing attention to this issue. There is still a stigma surrounding mental illness, but I believe initiatives such as MIAW create an opportunity for public discussion of mental health and mental illness, ” said May.
The Green Party promotes a comprehensive approach to mental health including:
- An increase transfer funding for non-institutionalized mental health patients including children and youth to provide adequate community-based support and outpatient and inpatient care by mental health practitioners, including in rural Canada where lack of facilities and trained professionals is acute;
- Support for a public health initiative to reduce the use of psychoactive drugs through better rehabilitation and prevention programs, especially for children;
- Requirements for greater involvement of people dealing with personal mental health problems in research planning, policy development, program evaluation, and other decisions that affect their lives and communities.
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Media Contact:
Stéphane Vigneault
Communications Coordinator, Green Party of Canada
cell: 613.614.4916