Thank you.
Thank you for inviting the Mental Health Commission of Canada to speak with you today on the budget implementation act. We are, after all, your commission, and it's always a pleasure to act as your trusted adviser on matters relating to mental health and wellness of Canadians.
Since the creation of the Mental Health Commission of Canada over 10 years ago, funding from the Government of Canada has helped us decrease the stigma of mental illness and improve Canadians’ mental health.
We're now celebrating the fifth anniversary of the mental health strategy for Canada. Five years ago, the funding and mandate provided by parliamentarians like yourselves enabled us to release the mental health strategy for Canada. The document is used by all provinces and territories to better direct mental health services and make real progress in delivering these resources.
Indeed, we recently released an updated analysis of government mental health spending called “Strengthening the Case for Investing in Canada's Mental Health System”, which clearly demonstrates that making investments early in mental health ends up saving governments money in the long run, as well as leading to better outcomes for Canadians living with mental illness and their families.
In keeping with that increased record of investments in mental health, we were particularly pleased to be renewed by the Government of Canada this past April. This renewal will allow us to realize our mission: mental health and wellness for all.
In that context we viewed as very exciting the investments in mental health as part of the new health accord and in the legislation currently before this committee. These historic investments are really desperately needed and cannot come soon enough. However, this money will only be effective if it is spent in the right area, spent responsibly, and reported on in a manner that allows governments to capitalize on the cascading effects of investments that are proven effective, timely, and accurate. Above all, shared data will be critical in this respect.
I would like to share with the committee some of the work that the Mental Health Commission has done previously on developing indicators to guide governments in making the very kind of investments currently under consideration.
In 2015, we released “Informing the Future: Mental Health Indicators for Canada”, comprising 55 indicators that together paint a picture of the mental health of children, youth, adults, and seniors. The objective was to create a pan-Canadian set of mental health and illness indicators. This looked at mental health in different settings and reported on aspects of services and supports used by people living with mental health problems and illnesses. It also identified gaps in services, allowing stakeholders to gauge progress and strengthen efforts to address the recommendations in the mental health strategy for Canada.
As part of our new mandate, we intend to build on our pan-Canadian indicators project. It is our hope that this work will help inform the efforts of provinces and territories as they look to deliver the results with these new federal investments. Maintaining a national perspective, while respecting provincial and territorial differences, will be critical for success.
We particularly hope that governments will explore opportunities beyond their traditional large health sector players, given that it's been demonstrated that community-based models of care are some of the most effective methods of delivering mental health supports. These include programming, such as the commission's mental health first aid courses that, just like physical first aid, train individuals to deliver aid to those experiencing a mental health crisis before more professional assistance can be delivered.
The advantages of community support are clear, particularly when delivering services in a culturally appropriate and sensitive manner. The advantages for isolated communities and indigenous peoples are also easily seen when equipping community members to provide mental health support.
To conclude my brief remarks, I would like to reiterate the Mental Health Commission's high hopes for the mental health spending committed in the budget, and when time permits, we'd be happy to take questions.