Five Pillars - Mental Health Action Plan for federal offenders includes new partnerships with provincial facilities.
May 1, 2014 Ottawa,Ontario Public Safety Canada
The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today announced the Government of Canada's launch of a comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan for federal offenders that is addressing their serious mental health needs. The Action Plan for federal offenders contains five pillars which are: timely assessment, effective management, sound intervention, ongoing training, and robust governance and oversight.
As a key component of the intervention pillar, Minister Blaney announced that the Government of Canada's agreement in principle with The Royal Ottawa Health Care Group for a pilot project that would expand the government's capacity to meet the needs of offenders with the most complex mental health needs.
As part of the pilot project, The Royal's Brockville Mental Health Centre in Ontario would provide bed space to treat women offenders with serious mental health needs. This provincial mental health centre, along with L'Institut Philippe Pinel in Montreal, Quebec and the East Coast Forensic Hospital in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia are part of a concerted effort by the Government of Canada to enhance the Correctional Service of Canada's capacity to effectively and appropriately treat offenders with serious mental health needs through agreements with provincial healthcare systems.
The Government of Canada recognizes the growing impact of mental health needs on the federal offender population. This is just one aspect of the ongoing response to the recommendations of the jury from the Coroner's Inquest into the tragic death of Ashley Smith.
Jason Tamming
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
613-991-2924
Media Relations
Correctional Service Canada
613-992-7711
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For more information, please visit the website www.publicsafety.gc.ca.
