CMHO’S 2020
Pre-Budget Submission
Ontario’s Kids and Families Can’t Wait.
OUR PRE-BUDGET SUBMISSION
The province has committed to increasing mental health and addictions funding by $3.8 billion over ten years including matching funds from the federal government. There is a strong case to be made for directing a significant portion of this investment in child and youth mental health.
New investments of $150 million annually to expand front-line services will reduce wait times for counselling and therapy to 30 days or less, and help 30,000 more Ontario families access the critical mental health services they need.
%
of mental health and substance use
problems begin in childhood.
Every Ontario family should have timely access to the mental health care they need, at the right time and right place. Ontario’s child and youth mental health centres have identified the following four priority areas for investment in expanding services to meet the needs in each community across the province. Every community’s needs are somewhat different, but the good thing is that we have local planning in place that ensures that dollars invested get to what kids and families need most.
Ensure access to counselling and psychotherapy within 30 days
Expand specialized youth mental health and addictions services to ensure that children and youth get the treatment they need
Scale 24/7 crisis support services to ensure kids and families don’t have to go to the emergency department
OUR KIDS ARE OUR FUTURE, AND OUR FAMILIES CAN’T AFFORD TO WAIT ANY LONGER.
Families in Ontario are in crisis because they cannot get the mental health treatment and services they need for their kids. Investments of an additional $150 million a year to expand front-line services will lead to better outcomes for 160,000 infants, children, youth and their families.