Better Mental Health Care for Nova Scotia's Youth

Nova Scotia's children and youth will have access to additional mental health care services from a new treatment centre in Halifax. Health Minister Angus MacIsaac opened the new, 12-bed centre and launched its new mental health program today, Jan. 22.

"Today, we are opening the doors to better mental health care for Nova Scotia's children and youth," said Mr. MacIsaac. "In the past, we've had to send children to other provinces for this kind of professional treatment, but now we can help families within Nova Scotia."

The new program was announced in February 2003. It provides a mental health residential rehabilitation treatment centre for 12- to 19-year-olds who require medium to long-term residential services. These youths typically have severe and persistent mental health problems or behavioural issues.

The new service is part of the IWK mental health program. The centre, called the Adolescent Centre for Treatment (ACT), was designed to have a home-like atmosphere, with three apartment- style living spaces, each with four beds. The facility also has classrooms for schooling, some recreational space, and space for day programs for children and youth. It will reach full occupancy over the next several months as aspects of the program are phased in.

"We are pleased that the IWK plays such an integral part in this exciting step forward in providing intensive, long-term treatment for children and youth," said Hal Schmidt, president and CEO, IWK Health Centre. "The ACT program will give young people in the most need a chance to grow into healthy adults in our communities."

The minister said today that two intensive, community-based treatment teams, announced last year for Halifax and Cape Breton, are also up and running, helping young people and their families.

The IWK team began in July 2003 and is based at the new centre. The community team in Cape Breton began its work in June 2003, and has received about 70 referrals to date from within the mental health program and from such agencies as the Children's Aid Society, addiction services and probation services.

"The importance of being able to provide mental health services to children and youth in their own communities cannot be overstated," said Dr. Linda Courey, director of mental health services with Cape Breton District Health Authority. "Our team members are experiencing great success by working closely with the children and youth, and their families. This program is a real enhancement to the traditional office-based approaches that tend to be less effective with children or youth suffering from severe and persistent mental illness or severe, disruptive behaviour disorders."

Mr. MacIsaac said the treatment teams and the ACT program are improving the delivery of mental health care. "Over the years, study after study showed we had serious gaps in mental health services for children, so I'm pleased to show clear signs of investment and commitment for them."

The 12-bed centre and two teams will cost about $3.1 million annually to operate.

In addition to these new programs, the Department of Health announced in November how an additional $2 million in mental health funding would be spent for 2003-04. Much of the money is being used for child and youth mental health services across the province, including the hiring of more mental health staff and case managers, and the creation of a new navigation service to help patients and their families at the IWK Health Centre.

The Department of Health sets the policy direction for health care in Nova Scotia. It also provides funding for the IWK Health Centre and the nine district health authorities that deliver services in communities throughout the province.