Photo courtesy Ignite the Life, Facebook.
Increasing reports of suicide attempts in Black Lake have the Saskatchewan NDP saying the province needs to reverse mental health cuts in the north, with the province responding that no such cuts have been made.
Specifically, the NDP is holding the province responsible for an Athabasca Health Authority order to restrict overtime for healthcare workers, which an NDP news release states has resulted in increased wait times and dangerous reductions in “access for communities like Black Lake.”
The province says funding to the Athabasca Health Authority has stayed consistent year over year at $7.034 million, but currently the health authority is attempting to address a five-year $900,000 deficit in the mental health unit, according to a Prince Albert Daily Herald report.
“When you’re the government of Saskatchewan then you must govern for all. And we’ve noticed in the north that there has been a marked decrease of support for northern Saskatchewan,” said Athabasca MLA and NDP deputy leader Buckley Belanger.
With a youth suicide prevention kicking off in Saskatoon on Thursday, Belanger urged the province to listen to northerners.
“If they are reaching out and speaking out and talking about an issue that’s been taboo for years, well I want to strongly encourage that to continue. But if they speak up and speak out, the young people do, then senior government must listen,” he said.
The province says no one has been denied mental health services in the Athabasca region as a result of the staffing restrictions.
The Ministry of Health e-mailed a statement saying “while the government did ask all health authorities to find efficiencies, any efficiencies were directed to not have an impact on direct patient care.”
The two-day “Ignite the Life” suicide prevention rally starts at 8 a.m. at the Saskatoon Inn, with about 500 participants registered.
The Saskatchewan Children’s Advocate, Lac la Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson, and Joseph Naytowhow are scheduled to speak in the morning.