Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day. A day when a major corporation uses some of its power and reach to encourage folks to have open and honest conversations about mental health. Do we wish they would increase coverage for mental health services for their employees? Yes. Do we wish they would use their power to lobby the government to put more funding into mental healthcare? Absolutely. But alas, what we get is a day to talk about our individual experiences of mental health struggles which actually only serves to individualize the problem instead of looking at it from a zoomed out perspective. 

We should be talking about more funding, equitable access to programs and better services that are more accessible and FREE for all!

Preventative Mental Healthcare for ALL!

Few people can afford to pay out of pocket for services like therapy when they feel their mental wellness slip. When mood issues surface, anxiety ramps up, relationships start to falter, energy wanes and we find ourselves slipping across the board, we are left to figure it out ourselves until it becomes extremely problematic. Once we are a danger to ourselves or others, or have been court ordered to therapy, or have lost our jobs or are in the thick of other really awful consequences, then we can access some of the limited mental health resources available. If you live in rural areas, have cultural or language barriers to seeking support or are experiencing homelessness, then these programs are even more challenging to access. This doesn’t feel like justice, it doesn’t feel equitable…because it’s not.

Sure at Access Therapy we offer affordable therapy and sliding scale spots but we do not delude ourselves in thinking that this does much for the broader societal failings that are at the root of this issue. We are merely trying to offer a tiny bandage to a gargantuan wound. Hopefully, with other amazing clinics doing the same thing, our band aids start to have some positive impact, however small.

But we need systemic change, not tiny individual efforts. 

Mental health counselling should be free for all! Therapy should be covered by OHIP, and the other provincial healthcare programs in other provinces. This needs to be a federal effort, a national push because we are witnessing what can be done by provincial governments with ulterior motives for privatization…looking at you Dougy. 

Let’s Talk and WRITE to your MP

We learned recently that communication with your MP actually matters. They actually read letters and tally them in their logs for or against certain bills, programs, and social justice issues. Your voice does matter, but it involves doing a bit of work. Writing an email, calling their office, attending an event with them and asking the hard questions. 

If you are interested in taking the conversation about mental health on this Let’s Talk Day to your MP and making them understand that this is a national issue, then you can find your MP listing here. 

Send that email, it can make a difference.   

Below is a template that you can use.

Dear _________,

My name is __________ and I am one of your constituents in the___________ riding.  

Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day and I wanted to talk to you about mental healthcare being a national issue that deserves national attention and funding. We know that preventative healthcare is necessary for keeping our friends, neighbours and your constituents healthy, safe and productive members of society. Mental healthcare is no different.

Currently, programs and services are limited to crisis situations, are inaccessible to most folks and fail to address the issue before it becomes life altering.

We need more from the federal government. We need an expanded healthcare system that provides mental health services for ALL! We need therapy to be covered by OHIP. We need more services in rural areas, for folks with cultural and language barriers, and for those experiencing precarious housing. We need this to be a federal mandate in order for every province to receive their healthcare transfer payments. Provincial governments should not be able to opt-out or underfund these programs at the provincial level without some major consequences. 

I implore you today to not only talk about mental health, but to do something about it! Will you use your power and privilege to stand up for the nearly 1 in 3 Canadians that have experienced a mental health issue in their lives? 

Thank you for your time, I look forward to your response at the national level.

Sincerely, 

________