The new 988 mental health hotline launched by US authorities on Saturday will offer residents struggling with suicidal thoughts an easy-to-remember number that will connect them to trained mental health counselors rather than police. Mental health advocates have pushed for a similar system in Canada. The House of Commons voted unanimously to establish a triple-digit suicide prevention figure in 2020, but those working in the field of suicide prevention said the “gold standard” now in place south of the border makes it clear that Canada has some progress to make. . Sheryl Boswell, the executive director of Youth Mental Health Canada, said Canada needs to act quickly to create one. “We need to adopt best practices from other countries and go beyond that to do much better than what we’re doing,” he said in a telephone interview on Sunday. “Hopefully it won’t take years to adopt the 988 in Canada.” Dr. Allison Crawford, chief medical officer for Talk Suicide Canada and a psychiatrist at the Toronto Center for Addiction and Mental Health, said a system like 988 would show those struggling with mental health crises that suicide prevention is taken seriously and make it easier for Canadians to have access to emergency help. Canadian MPs voted unanimously in favor of Conservative MP Todd Doherty’s proposal to create a national three-digit suicide hotline in December 2020, but the project is still under evaluation. Doherty is pictured in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on November 30, 2020. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press) The growing demand for mental health services spurred in part by the COVID-19 pandemic makes the need for such a system particularly pressing, he added. “There are huge mental health needs in our communities and that has only increased in recent years,” he said. “I see this as an important point of access to a mental health service that I think needs to be revamped,” she added, noting that she would also like to see improvements in mental health support that go beyond crisis services.
The judgment system “never does enough”
Statistics Canada reported in 2021 that an average of more than 10 Canadians will kill themselves every day, and Boswell said it is expected that 446 people aged 10 to 24 will kill themselves each year. Given Canada’s suicide rates, Boswell said the country “never does enough” when it comes to supporting those struggling with suicidal thoughts. “And one death by suicide is too many,” he added. One of the many benefits of a 988 number, Boswell said, would be to eliminate police involvement for well-being checks. “A triple figure for mental health crisis and support is what we need, not 911 that criminalizes mental health. Not a police response with uniforms and marked squad cars,” he said. “This is a health crisis and we need a compassionate health response.”
Telephone line delays were criticized
Pressure for action is also mounting in the political sphere. Todd Doherty, Conservative MP for Cariboo-Prince George, BC, who introduced the successful motion to create a central hotline system in 2020, said in a recent statement that he is disappointed at what he calls the government’s “disgraceful lack of action” on the subject. “Despite the support of local and national mental health organizations, municipalities across the country and the unanimous support of MPs, this life-saving initiative remains unavailable to Canadians and its status remains unknown,” the statement said. A Health Canada spokesman said the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) was evaluating how the number could be introduced and the department expected a decision later this year. The department “recognizes the importance of everyone in Canada having access to critical mental health and suicide prevention resources,” it said in an emailed statement. Public Health Canada is also currently trying to estimate expected demand for this hotline and plan to handle the increased call volume, the spokesperson added. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett says the federal government is waiting for the CRTC to complete its review of the suicide hotline project. Bennett is pictured in Ottawa on March 10, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) The CRTC launched a consultation on the project in June last year. The comment period was extended until mid-March this year after some in the deaf and hard of hearing community asked for sign language submissions. The CRTC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In April, Carolyn Bennett, the federal minister for mental health and addictions, acknowledged that it took her government “a long time” to set up the hotline. He said the project’s future timeline will depend in part on the CRTC’s conclusion.
Where to ask for help
Suicide Prevention Lifeline Canada: 1-833-456-4566 (Tel) | 45645 (Text, 4pm to midnight ET only)criservicescanada.ca In Quebec (French): Quebec Association for Suicide Prevention: 1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553) Kids Helpline: 1-800-668-6868 (Phone), Live Chat Counseling at www.kidshelpphone.ca Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour crisis centre
