Nova Scotia government cuts 'life-saving' $190K grants program

Katherine Taylor lost her friend last month to suicide.

"She was trying to access health support," Taylor said. "She had accessed a couple of supports, but it wasn't enough and she passed away."

In the weeks since her friend's death, there's been a further reduction in specialized resources available for people seeking mental health support.

The latest provincial budget, released April 9, eliminated funding for the consumer-led initiative grants program — a small fund that had a big impact on those it helped.

In the 2013-2014 fiscal year, the government awarded $172,400 in grants to 10 organizations. The Liberal government estimates the program's budget had climbed to around $190,000. 

The activities or endeavours funded through the program are fairly simple. Taylor was directly involved with Post Stigma, a project led by members of Laing House, an organization that supports youth living with mental illness.

Post Stigma offered blank postcards to individuals and invited them to depict or describe any social stigmas they were dealing with. Taylor says the postcards offered anonymous outlets to share emotions that are ordinarily difficult to express.

No plans to reconsider 

"Like suicidal thoughts," said Taylor. "Like some of the much trickier subjects to navigate."

Post Stigma would not have been possible, without a one-time $27,000 grant it received from the Consumer-Led Initiative program. Taylor says simple and relatively low-cost projects like these offer critical support for youths and adults with mental health needs. 

Government officials confirmed the budget for these supports has been reduced to zero.

"More people will die because of these cuts," Taylor said. "I truly believe that's not even an exaggeration....We are losing people every day."

Tony Kiritsis, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Wellness, said the consumer-led initiative grants "did not deliver on our core mandate."

"The department reduced grant funding as one measure to help protect direct health programs and services," he said in an email.

Nova Scotia's health budget surpassed $4 billion for the first time ever this year, compared to the $172,600 most recently spent on the grant program.

"We should be adding to it, not cutting it," said Taylor.

"I was hoping to, at some point apply for my own grant," she said. "So I could give back to a community that's given so much to me...But now I'll never have that opportunity."

There has been no indication from officials whether the government plans to reconsider its decision and reallocate funding to the program.