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Recipe for disaster
Wednesday July 23 2008 A bleak picture— when it comes to the mental state of Halton’s youth— was presented to Halton Region’s Health and Social Services committee last week.
It’s bad enough that one in five Ontario children struggles with an emotional, mental or behavioural disorder, but if you add to that this region’s atrocious wait times for services you have a recipe for disaster.
The dire predicament of children’s mental health services (or lack thereof) was presented to the Region by Ron Rodgers, executive director of the Reach Out Centre for Kids known as ROCK.
“The need for child psychiatry in Halton outweighs the capacity to meet it,” Rodgers said in his presentation. He also noted that fewer than 25 per cent of kids with mental health issues are treated. Fewer than 25 per cent?
That’s not acceptable.
Wait times range any where from three months for ROCK’s community out-reach program to a year for its psychology services, occupational therapy and behaviour management program. A year’s wait?
That’s not acceptable.
ROCK receives funding from the Province, Region and United Way. It says it needs at least $1 million more to upgrade salaries and annualized cost of living.  
You have got to believe that with this region’s unprecedented growth the demand for such services will also increase at an alarming rate.
This is the second time in as many weeks that we have received a frightening snapshot of the Region’s lack or strained resources that deal with society’s more vulnerable members. The health and social services committee was told earlier this month that one in 10 children arrive at school without any food.  
That’s not acceptable.
The Halton Food for Thought’s student nutrition program is also buckling under the increase in demand said the regional manager of the program, Lena Bassford.
“We have to place a moratorium on any new programs,” Bassford told committee members, adding, “This is devastating because for many children, the food they receive from Food for Thought is the only food (they’ll get) the entire day.”
Is this acceptable? We don’t think so. Halton is a prosperous municipality. We can, and must, do better. The private corporate sector, as well as all levels of government, must team together to ensure our youth receive the care they deserve. Now that would be acceptable.

North Peel Media Group Newspapers: The Brampton Guardian Caledon Enterprise Independent & Free Press Orangeville Banner