Saskatchewan adopts 10-year mental health and addictions action plan

After more than a year of work and thousands of submissions from Saskatchewan people, the province's commissioner of mental health and addictions has released her report.

Fern Stockdale Winder is a clinical psychologist, who was appointed to review the state of Saskatchewan's mental health services by the province's health minister in 2013. 

She held more than 150 meetings across the province and heard from more than 4,000 individuals through a variety of ways, including an online questionnaire. 

Her report contains 16 recommendations, including early intervention, more community support, shorter wait times for treatment and a province-wide effort to reduce the misuse of alcohol.

One of her main focuses for the government is getting help for young adults and children more quickly.

"Within their developmental trajectory, waiting eight months means a huge difference to them and to their families," Stockdale Winder said.

"I'm not saying I want adults to wait eight months either, but it just makes such a huge difference in the life of a child."

Tanya Condo, who's with the Schizophrenia Society of Saskatchewan, says new ways of providing treatment — such as online help — may be a good way to help younger people. 

"They might not feel comfortable saying something to mom or dad, but if they can go online and use resources like that, I think that that would be an exceptional thing for this younger generation to have," she said.

Health Minister Dustin Duncan says the government has accepted the report and its findings.  

In a news release, he says, "We are already making improvements across the system, and the recommendations in this plan affirm that direction."

On mobile? Here's a link to the government 10-year action plan on mental health and addictions.