The Green Party of Ontario has released a standalone mental health platform, including the decriminalization of drug use.
The Greens outlined the proposed changes in a release today, promoting a plan that promising a cut to wait times for children's services, a three-digit hotline for mental distress, and even help through promising more trails and parks. Green Party leader Mike Schreiner says this is the first standalone mental health platform ever presented by an Ontario political party.
Schreiner also calls for the plan, worth about $6.6-billion dollars over four years, to be largely funded by reinstating license plate sticker fees, which Premier Doug Ford scrapped in early February. He also said a Green government would make mental health spending about 10% of the provincial budget. On the decriminalization of drug use, Schreiner says his party's vision to transform mental health care in the province is to ensure people that require services receive them when and where they need them, from a system that is affordable, which includes the creation of more safe consumption sites.
The Ontario Green Party's Mental Health plan includes the following points: 1. Significantly expand access to mental health and addiction care under OHIP
2. Increase mental health and addiction spending to 10% of our health budget
3. Develop a 3-digit dedicated response line and health-focused crisis response teams to respond to mental health and substance-related calls.
4. Reduce waitlists to 30 days or less for children's mental health services.
5. Support Indigenous-led clinics and healing programs for mental health.
6. Create a dedicated Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.
7. Decriminalize drug use, expand safe consumption sites, and shift funding from the justice system to healthcare.
8. Build 60,000 permanent supportive housing spaces with wrap-around mental health and other supports.
9. Enhance mental well-being with connected communities and expanded access to nature trails, parks and protected greenspace.
10. Invest in more Youth Wellness Hubs and community centres that offer access to local mental health services, spaces for social interaction, and supports for families.
