We Need Better Mental Health Resources

1 in 2 Canadians will have or have had a mental health illness by the time they are 40 years old.

It is critical that we continue to change our mental health systems and create better support for all of us.

Especially for our youth that are at the highest risk.

One in five youth in Canada need help with their mental health and substance use.

Only 25% receive the care they need.

Youth aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience a mental illness and/or substance use disorder than any other age group.

Youth mental illness is ranked as the second highest hospital care expenditure in Canada.

The current system for getting help is extremely complex and our children are falling through the cracks.

Nearly 3 times more youth die from suicide than from cancer.

Yet depression is considered preventable…

4,000 Canadians die by suicide each year, an average of 11 people per day.

People with mental illness are twice as likely to have a substance use problem as many turn to substances as an escape or temporary relief from struggling with their mental health.

Opioid overdoses now account for more deaths in Canada than car accidents.

Yet it is considered preventable…

So what’s going wrong?

Why do so many youth have to suffer and die from lack of access to proper support systems?

Why do 75% of children with mental disorders not have access to specialized treatment services?

Why do only half of Canadians experiencing a major depressive episode receive “potentially adequate care”?

Why do one-third of Canadians over 15 having a need for mental health care say those needs were not fully met?

Why do indigenous youth have a 5-6 times higher risk of dying by suicide, while Inuit youth are among the highest in the world?

Our systems are not good enough… Yet.

We need more support.

We need more resources and options.

We need less of a financial burden for those seeking care (which is a main reason people do not seek care).

The Sydney Bednarik Mental Health Foundation was created to raise awareness, compile donations, and donate to people and organizations making a direct impact on our mental health systems.

This will be done in the form of scholarships for those studying in the field of mental health and trying to make a difference, and direct donations to mental health organizations who need it most.

Help us make an impact on mental health.

Help us make a difference so we don’t have to lose so many of our friends and family, and help us improve lives so those who struggle don’t have to face it alone.

Any donation is greatly appreciated and absolutely helps.

Sources:

https://www.camh.ca/en/driving-change/the-crisis-is-real

https://www.camh.ca/en/driving-change/the-crisis-is-real/mental-health-statistics

Fast Facts about Mental Health and Mental Illness