This year, people in Grey Bruce have an opportunity to push for lasting change on Bell Let's Talk Day.

Sign the petition at www.erasethedifference.ca and send a strong message to provincial election candidates that mental health and addictions care in Ontario should be funded the same as physical health care.

The petition is led by Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Ontario in collaboration with CMHA Grey Bruce in the lead up to the June provincial election.

"Awareness campaigns such as Bell Let's Talk Day are welcome and extremely valuable as they help break the stigma and reduce the discrimination associated with mental health and addictions," said Jackie Ralph of CMHA Grey Bruce.

"But the fact remains that mental health and addictions services in Ontario remain chronically underfunded compared to other parts of the health system," Claude Anderson, Executive Director said. "Without regular and ongoing investment into the system, people coming forward to seek help can end up languishing while they wait for service."

The burden of mental illness in Ontario is 1.5 times that of all cancers combined and more than seven times of all infectious diseases.i

Meanwhile, Ontario devotes $3.5 billion of a total $54-billion health budget to mental health and addictions. iiiii ,

The mental health and addictions share of the health budget is 6.5 per cent. In 1979, it was 11.3 per cent. iv

There are 30 CMHA branches throughout the province. Together with other local agencies, CMHAs belong to a community-based mental health and addictions sector that serves half a million Ontarians.

But many community-based agencies like ours have received little to no budget increases in years. Without ongoing investment, we often face challenges maintaining or enhancing vital services such as case management, counselling and supportive housing.

"Couple budget restraints with rising operational expenditures and we also have challenges with staff recruitment and retention," Claude Anderson, executive director said. "What we're finding is

that we are losing dedicated, compassionate and caring individuals to other opportunities that give them more financial security. In the end, it's a detriment to our clients."

Fast Facts:

• Currently, the average wait time to see a counsellor across Ontario is five months.

• One in five Ontarians experience a mental health problem or illness in any given year.

• 500,000 Canadians will miss work due to mental health issues in any given week.

On January 31, 2018 CMHA Grey Bruce will be set up at the Heritage Place Shopping Centre in centre court with resources & information regarding local mental health programs & services in support of Bell Let's Talk Day.

source: media release, CMHA Grey Bruce