This is an archive of news stories and research from the National Union of Public and General Employees. Please see our new site - https://nupge.ca - for the most current information.
“Our members work on the frontlines and know only too well that a lack of mental health care is a major factor in homelessness and poverty, which in turn lead to more health issues." — Mike Parker, HSAA President
Edmonton (03 Oct. 2018) — An Alberta government funding grant to help provide mental health services to low-income and homeless Calgarians is a welcome move, according to the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA/NUPGE).
HSAA/NUPGE members know first-hand the effects of a lack of mental health services
“As a union, we’ve been advocating for better support for mental health services across the province,” says Mike Parker, President of HSAA, which represents about 26,000 health care professionals including mental health therapists, social workers and addictions counsellors.
“Our members work on the frontlines and know only too well that a lack of mental health care is a major factor in homelessness and poverty, which in turn lead to more health issues. Providing this support will not only help these people now, it will save our health care system money in the future,” Parker says.
$1.4M in funding aims to remove wait list and increase capacity
The government of Alberta announced a $1.4 million, 3-year funding grant to the Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS) with the aim of removing the current wait list for mental health services and to increase the number of people they can serve.
“HSAA/NUPGE will continue to advocate for improved supports for mental health services. A shortage of mental health support is a serious problem affecting every corner of this province, every age group and every demographic. This shortage of resources is causing immense pain and is costing lives,” says Parker.