Vitalité presses for online help to fill gap in mental health services
The province desperately needs online support for troubled people waiting months to see mental health professionals, says the vice-president of mental health at Vitalité Health Network.
While someone with a severe mental health issue can be seen by a counsellor or therapist right away, Jacques Duclos said there needs to be better access to help those on the waiting list.
"We need to be able to identify services that fit your needs, depending on the severity. And to broaden the type of access to mental health services," said Duclos.
He said the province is looking at introducing an online tool aimed at reducing wait times for people looking for mental health services in New Brunswick.
Bridge the gApp is an online resource designed to support mental wellness.
The program was introduced in 2015 and is funded by the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Residents can access important information and resources through technology, such as cell phones, tablets and computers.
"We really need to rethink our access … I think it will be difficult for any service provider to have the capacity to provide the [mental health] services," Duclos said.
Bruce Macfarlane, a spokesperson for New Brunswick's Department of Health, said it's "exploring all options" but wouldn't confirm it's bringing in the app.
App could arrive in 2020
But Dr. Peter Cornish, an associate professor at Memorial University involved in the development of Newfoundland and Labrador's mental health app, said he's worked on the New Brunswick version.
Cornish said New Brunswick could be getting it as early as this year, becoming the second province to use this particular service.
"It expands your options that we wouldn't normally think that will be helpful to your mental health," Cornish said.
The app connects people to self-help information, tools and local supports through a searchable service directory. Cornish said it also saved one woman's life.
"There's no one-size-fits-all for mental health support," Cornish said.
'Wait-times completely eliminated'
According to a report by Stepped Care 2.0, an e-mental health demonstration project, the app attracted 28,000 users in 2018-2019, its fourth year of operation.
The report also notes that in 2017-2018 wait times for addictions and mental health services in Newfoundland and Labrador were reduced by 68 per cent due to a combination of factors, one of them being e-mental health services.
"In some places, wait times were completely eliminated," Cornish said.
New Brunswick's app will be similar to Bridge the gApp, but it won't be identical.
The Newfoundland and Labrador program is offered to both adults and youth and covers issues like depression, anxiety, eating disorders or someone looking for a peer support group. It also provides better access for people living in rural areas.
'Cannot replace face-to-face counselling'
John Abbott, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association's Newfoundland and Labrador division, said the app isn't for everyone, but it is an advance in mental health services.
"It cannot replace face-to-face counselling and when that is needed," said Abbott. "But it is certainly a very strong direction to support people where they are in their homes when face-to-face services are not readily available."
He said the app is also helpful for teens, who are typically more comfortable using technology.
In the future, there will be an option for people to track their mental health on the app, similar to a Fitbit, which measures a person's physical well-being.
"It will allow people to graph out how their mental wellness is progressing," said Cornish.
Help depends on severity
Depending on the severity of a person's mental health, Duclos said people seeking public mental health services in New Brunswick can wait several months before seeing a mental health professional.
But the severity of a mental illness is different for each person.
If a person is suicidal or struggling with their daily routine, Duclos said they would be considered a priority and could be seen by a professional on the same day they reach out.
"For very acute situations, we do have the capacity," he said.
But if a person has some kind of "resiliency," they could be a lower priority.
