Priority 4: Improve the prevention, management and treatment of mental illness and addiction
By acting on these initiatives, we will achieve the following results:
- More people with mental health and/or addictions issues will have quicker and more equitable access to the right mix of services to meet their needs.
- More clients will move from the streets or institutions into supportive housing.
- More clients will actively participate in their care through the assistance of a consumer-led common assessment tool.
It is estimated that one in five adults will experience mental illness in their lifetime. Of these, three percent of adults will be seriously affected. Twenty per cent of seniors aged 65 and over are living with a mental illness.
Many people with a mental illness diagnosis also have other chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, or frequent acute conditions. People with mental illness and/or addiction also tend to be frequent users of hospital emergency departments, resulting from an inability to access timely and appropriate support in the community.
How will achieving this priority transform the Toronto Central LHIN health system?
Some of the most marginalized people in the Toronto Central LHIN are living with mental illness and/or addiction. Addressing this priority will allow the LHIN to:
- Improve health equity by ensuring at-risk clients get the help they need.
- Enable the LHIN to organize community capacity and set evidence-informed service standards while being respectful of people’s different needs and circumstances.
- Influence an ongoing shift in attitudes in order to reduce stigma and discrimination.