Mental health advocates hold meeting over Aberdeen hospital

Mental health care advocates met in Stellarton Friday to discuss the upcoming closure of the eight-bed inpatient unit that treats patients dealing with a short-term mental health crisis at the Aberdeen hospital.

The unit will close temporarily because of a staffing shortage on August 3.

"We want people to know that there is support and we want to put the resources in their hands so that they know how to access the help they need," said Starr Dobson, president & CEO of the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia.

• Aberdeen hospital closing mental health unit

"People are hearing this closure is happening and they're jumping to the worst conclusion and thinking, 'oh no, we need to change this, we need to keep it open' but what we wanted to do today was bring people together to talk about the fact that this is happening [and] what can we do to make the best of the situation." said Dobson.

Dobson said she was told by the Nova Scotia Health Authority that it will be increasing the crisis response support workers in the emergency department.

Help is still near

"Accessing the mental health services in Pictou County will not change on August 3rd, so people in mental health crisis are still being directed to Aberdeen hospital's emergency department where they'll receive the appropriate care." 

Sherry Blinkhorn, owner of Blinkhorn Real Estate and a past president for the Canadian Mental Health Association, said fifteen people attended the meeting at the Museum of Industry. 

"Youth was represented, women's rights, men's groups were represented, there were teachers, there was a police officer, there was a broad spectrum that this has touched everyone," said Blinkhorne.

Blinkhorn said the priority now is make people aware of mental health care resources.

"One [idea] was creating a directory, giving people solutions where to call and for most of us, I speak for myself as someone in business, that a lot of people just want to know that there is someone out there that cares." 

Pamela Magee, the associate director of the Canadian Mental Health Association's Nova Scotia Division, said the goal is to reassure people that help is near.

"The key message that came out of here is hope, solidarity and willingness to work collaboratively across the system to create solutions." said Magee.