List of Recommendations
Recommendation: 1
That the Government of Canada take appropriate steps and make necessary investments to address the crisis that is now evolving as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These plans and programs must be implemented immediately in preparation for, and support of, the reopening efforts.
During the recovery phase, and through the foreseeable coming years, the Government of Canada must support communities across the country in managing the significant rise in mental illnesses and trauma that Canadians are and will be experiencing. In order to coordinate services and resources for mental illness within Canada, MDSC is further recommending that strategies, plans and priorities be developed and implemented in close consultation with provincial/territorial governments, community stakeholders and health authorities.
Recommendation: 2
That the Government of Canada establishes a 5-year $80 million annual mental health fund which would be made available to mental health NGO organizations, with an eye on collaborative partnerships, to address the impact of COVID-19. The funding would support developing, replicating and providing innovative resources, programs, services and supports which would address the needs of all Canadians. These initiatives would secure a coordinated approach to providing evidence-based knowledge, supporting new research and resources to lessen the long-term impact of COVID-19, while enabling Canadians as we work together towards our future. By reducing serious mental health issues, we will support all sectors as they re-open and expand operations, and lessen the burden and cost on primary health care services within Canada.
Recommendation: 3
That the Government of Canada establishes a 5-year $40-million annual national workplace COVID-19 educational program to support the business sector in adjusting to and working within a new COVID environment. This collaborative approach focused on developing, sharing and utilizing evidence-based best practices in educational resources, training, supports and research, will increase industry stakeholders’ and employees’ confidence in standardized proven approaches to living and working within new realities. The Government of Canada has the leadership role necessary to spearhead a unified national approach to establishing plans and priorities associated with this measure with the Provinces and Territories in partnership with the business sector.
Executive Summary
The Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) appreciates this opportunity to provide the Government of Canada with the following input and recommendations as they relate to recovering from the staggering impact that COVID-19 and the accompanying mental health crisis have had on the economic and social fabric of our nation. These recommendations are centred on ensuring a successful recovery phase, and in the goal of moving all Canadians forward, together.
We have all witnessed the COVID-19 devastation which has been thrust upon all sectors of our society throughout the past year. Mental Illness has a devastating effect on the health, productivity, life gratification and activities of Canadians. At any given time prior to COVID-19, over 10 percent of Canadians have a mental illness; 8 percent of Canadians will experience depression in their lifetime; 12 percent of Canadians will experience an anxiety disorder in their lifetime; Canadians under 20 years of age have the highest rate of depression symptoms while those between the ages of 20 to 29 have the highest rate of anxiety symptoms. The likelihood of having a mental illness in your lifetime in Canada is 1 in 5.1. MDSC recognizes that the mental health of Canadians has been seriously affected by this pandemic and research has clearly shown a rise in these statistics across the board, and this will take its toll on individuals as they struggle and work their way through these issues. At the same time, business leaders, management and employers will be challenged with overseeing the restructuring and operational changes that will be necessary.
Economically and physically it has been a foundational shifting experience for all of us. As we move forward with successful vaccination and reopening strategies, we must prepare for and be ready to address the serious mental health crisis which will now become a predominant challenge to our recovery. Addressed properly, we will be able to mitigate the impact and ensure we are appropriately supporting all sectors as we work together to achieve our goal of our new normal.
With the Government of Canada solidly focused on investments to rejuvenate our economy, and realizing the societal, personal and economic impact of unaddressed mental health issues and illnesses, investing in a comprehensive multi-sectoral approach focused on aligning our economic recovery with physical safety and mental wellness will ensure full inclusion and success for all.
The following recommendations will support economic recovery by recognizing the need to address the mental health aspect of individuals, businesses and health care while at the same time paving the way for Canadians with mental illnesses to take their rightful place back into the workforce.
1 MDSC Quick Facts on Mental Illness & Addiction in Canada https://mdsc.ca/edu/quick-facts-on-mental-illness-addiction-in-canada
Recommendations
Recommendation: 1
That the Government of Canada take appropriate steps and make necessary investments to address the crisis that is now evolving as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These plans and programs must be implemented immediately in preparation for, and support of, the reopening efforts.
During the recovery phase, and through the foreseeable coming years, the Government of Canada must support communities across the country in managing the significant rise in mental illnesses and trauma that Canadians are and will be experiencing. In order to coordinate services and resources for mental illness within Canada, MDSC is recommending that strategies, plans and priorities be developed and implemented in close consultation with provincial/territorial governments, community stakeholders and health authorities.
As a nation, we must all work collaboratively on our efforts to re-open and reinvigorate all sectors of society. It is very clear that this national effort must also include a comprehensive plan to support Canadians who are now living with the mental health ramifications of the pandemic and ensuing collective experiences we have all witnessed. Resources must be available to meet the individual needs of Canadians and their families affected by mental health issues. The long-term overall success of our collective effort in our rebuilding and reopening goals are dependent on the parallel robust availability of a network of mental health resources, supports and services at the provincial, regional and local level.
As we are facing the new realities of the world with COVID-19, we must acknowledge, accept and plan for major systemic improvements for mental health in Canada. We must support and invest in all Canadians by strengthening mental health services through encouraging and incentivizing collaborative community networks of mental health services and grassroots organization initiatives across Canada. MDSC encourages the Government of Canada to take a lead proactive role in this regard.
Mental illness strikes over seven million Canadian directly and impacts almost every single household in the country. There are very few Canadians who are not themselves, or through a family member or close friend, worrying about someone with mental health issues. What COVID-19 has done is awaken people to the widespread existence of mental illness. With this comes the demand for services and interventions. Public support for increasing available resources, without months or year-long waiting lines, to help persons coping with mental health issues is very strong yet the demand for assistance far outweighs the limited resources that are accessible by families.
Investments and improvements must support health equity and equal access to therapies, treatments, programs, services and supports. As a result of the pandemic, far too many Canadians are experiencing un/underemployment and as such do not have access to private health coverage. During this incredibly challenging time, all Canadians need to be able to avail themselves to the treatments, medications and therapies they require to return to and maintain their health and wellness so they can fully participate in and support our recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Recommendation: 2
That the Government of Canada establishes a 5-year $80 million annual mental health fund which would be made available to mental health NGO organizations, with an eye on collaborative partnerships, to address the impact of COVID-19. The funding would support developing, replicating and providing innovative resources, programs, services and supports which would address the needs of all Canadians. These initiatives would provide a coordinated approach to providing evidence-based knowledge, supporting new research and resources to lessen the long-term impact of COVID-19, while enabling Canadians as we work together towards our future. By reducing serious mental health issues, we will support all sectors as they re-open and expand operations, and lessen the burden and cost on primary health care services within Canada.
Community mental health organizations and health charities play a critical service within the Canadian health care system. These community, provincial and national NGOs are an integral part of the primary health care system as they provide direct support, services and resources to Canadians living with a mental illness, as well as for their families, caregivers and communities.
These organizations now must be a crucial part of the rebuilding of our economy as their services will be an underpinning component of the reopening plan. These organizations need to be sufficiently supported to achieve this work and as a crucial part of the plan, their services need to be funded accordingly. While we are all aware that the mental health community has been steadfastly underfunded for decades, we are now at a point where everyone realizes how important a sound mental health system is for all families. These direct vital services, programs, community and employer supports, counselling, educational efforts, and peer support, provided through these groups improve and maintain the mental health of millions of Canadians.
These programs would fit well under a call for proposals programs through Employment and Social Development Canada two funding streams; Social Development Partnerships Program2 and Opportunity Fund for Persons with Disabilities. 3
2 https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/social-development-partnerships.html
3 https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/opportunity-fund-disability.html
Recommendation: 3
That the Government of Canada establishes a 5-year $40-million annual national workplace COVID-19 pilot program to support the business sector in adjusting to and working within a new COVID environment. This collaborative approach focused on developing, sharing and utilizing evidence-based best practices in educational resources, training, supports and research, will increase industry stakeholders’ and employees’ confidence in standardized proven approaches to living and working within new realities.
The Government of Canada must maintain the leadership role necessary to spearhead this unified national approach to establishing plans and priorities associated to this initiative with the Provinces and Territories in partnership with the business and research sectors.
Employment, or engaging in some form of meaningful work activity, is well recognized as a key determinant of health and essential to mental health. Conversely, unemployment has a negative effect on mental health. We know that unemployment is the leading cause of poverty and that poverty is a leading cause of poor physical and mental health. Therefore, meaningful work and employment must be viewed as essential components to establishing and maintaining positive mental health.4
We know that COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on Canadian workforces. A recent Harris Poll survey, polled over 1,000 unemployed Canadians at the end of October 2020 and found the COVID-19 pandemic is the most commonly reported reason for their current unemployment, a barrier to returning to work for most and a key factor in why many are still unemployed. According to the survey, almost 1 in 3 unemployed Canadians (29%) say they lost their job/their position was eliminated due to the COVID- 19 pandemic. Despite applying for jobs (unemployed Canadians spent on average 11 hours in the previous week applying for jobs and applied for an average 13 jobs in the previous month), two-thirds (67%) did not obtain a single job interview in the previous month. Almost two-thirds (62%) of unemployed Canadians surveyed say COVID-19 is the reason they are still unemployed.5
Support for Canadian workforces requires a more coordinated approach in mitigating risks and providing crucial help to enable business owners and employers to have the tools they need to provide healthy workplaces. By making workplaces safe, by offering training and supports to have all team members as a part of the approach, their environments are more conducive to wellness.
Mental illness is associated with more lost workdays than any other chronic condition, costing the Canadian economy $51 billion annually in lost productivity, with almost $20-billion of that coming from workplace losses. In the first study of its kind, researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have calculated the actual cost of mental health leave and found that on average it’s double the cost of leave for a physical illness. The study, published in the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, looked at data tracking the short-term disability leave of 33, 913 full-time employees in Ontario. Results showed that the cost to a company for a single employee on short-term disability leave due to mental health concerns totals nearly $18,000. The study found that mental health leave on average costs doubles that of leave for a physical illness. The study examined data on the short-term disability leave of 33,913 full-time employees. It found that stress, casual and part-time work and uncertain economic conditions were all likely triggers of mental illness. One needs to consider how COVID- 19 will lead to increased stress and economic uncertainty to realize the importance of supporting the business community. 6
4 Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Mental Health Implementation Task Force Final Report http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en
6 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100910163327.htm
About the Mood Disorders Society of Canada
The Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) aims to improve access to treatment, inform research, shape program development and government policies so as to improve the quality of life for people affected by mood disorders. Formally launched and incorporated in 2001, MDSC is one of Canada’s best-connected mental health charities and has a demonstrated track record of forging and maintaining meaningful and sustained partnerships and collaborations with the public, private and non-profit sectors throughout Canada. The MDSC is engaged in a wide range of projects and initiatives designed to support the inclusion of persons with mental illnesses in Canadian society and has taken a lead proactive role in public policy and program development in many capacities on the national stage. MDSC fulfills its mandate by engaging like-minded organizations in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
