Youth advocates applaud Campbellton youth mental health centre delay

Mental health advocates are advising the province to transition to a more community-based approach to youth mental health.

This comes two weeks after ombud Charles Murray's report on conditions at the Restigouche Hospital Centre in Campbellton.

That report detailed instances of abuse at the province's psychiatric hospital.

A youth centre was scheduled to open next door by the end of the year, but that plan was put on hold after the release of the report.

Advocates interviewed by the CBC aren't saying the centre shouldn't open eventually, but they're calling for better services in communities around the province to help mentally ill young people.

Cindy Miles, the director of community and government partnerships with Partners for Youth, said the province should adopt a more integrated approach.

"When we go back to the original vision of a centre of excellence, it wasn't just about a bricks and mortar building, it was about a centre that was connected to the rest of the province," said Miles.

"It was about connecting youth to the services back in their community and supporting family back in their community."

New centre's future

Sarah Wagner, the executive director of the New Brunswick Association for Community Living, said she agreed with Health Minister Ted Flemming's decision to delay opening the youth centre in Campbellton.

"It is important that the accountability and the oversight is there," said Wagner.

Wagner said having a centre in Campbellton isn't ideal because of the distance parents would have to travel.

"I'm a parent myself," Wagner said.

"I could not imagine being faced with the decision that my child may be three, four hours away from where I live for, most likely, a long-term stay."

Miles said the pause on opening the centre gives the province a chance to do things right.

Complex concerns

The province is seeing an increasing number of youth identified with mental health problems.

These issues are compounded often by a dual diagnosis of a developmental disability combined with a mental health illness.

Wagner said dual diagnosis, such as autism combined with mental illness, adds more complications  to treatment.

"Often those behaviours are quite challenging and can also lead to criminal charges at times," said Wagner.

Wagner said sometimes a dual diagnosis isn't treated at all and other, when it is treated, it isn't done appropriately, or sometimes too many medications are used.

Wagner said there's a lack of expertise and support for people with dual diagnoses in communities.

"The barriers to access appropriate mental health early has certainly been experienced by these individuals," she said.

Attracting the best

Wagner said there is a need for experts in support services in the province, in areas of mental health, disabilities and senior care.

The problem is the gap between the need, which is high, and the low number of people working in these fields in the province.

Wagner said the province needs to do a better job at attracting personal support workers who need specialized training but often only make minimum wage.

"We have families … that may have the funding for support but we're still working with them to find the people to come in the home and provide that support," said Wagner.