No mental health beds planned for new children's hospital in Saskatoon

When thenew Jim Pattison Children's Hospital opens in Saskatoon next year, it will not have in-patient beds for children or teens suffering from mental health problems.

Recruiting plans for the new hospital do not mention child psychiatrists or psychologists.

Wait lists for patients who wish to see Saskatoon child psychiatrists are now two years long.

Children and teenswho are admitted to hospital will continue to be sent to a 10-bed unit at the Dub Centre for Mental Health.

"It's a massive oversight and a missed opportunity," said NDPsocial services critic Trent Wotherspoon.

'Literally dying while waiting'

In his annual report this week, Saskatchewan Children's Advocate Corey O'Soupsaid children wait months, even years for psychiatric and psychological services.

"Our children and youth are literally dying while waiting for service," O'Soupwrote.

He said young people in Saskatchewan's northern and remote communities have a suicide rateapproximately double that of the Canadian population, and finding solutions "need not be complicated."

"The lengthy wait times for psychiatric and psychological services must be rectified. Waiting several months and, at times, years for these services is simply unacceptable," he wrote.

Difficulty recruitingpsychiatrists

Saskatchewan currently has 15 child psychiatrists. Manitoba has 32.

Health MinisterJimReiter said Saskatoon is short of pediatric psychiatrists, and the Saskatchewan Health Authority is finding it difficult to recruit more.

"A lot of areas have problems recruiting child psychiatrists," he said."Mental health is more front of mind right now than it has been in the past."

Reitersaid he wants to follow "best practices"in addressing Saskatoon's long emergency wait times for children and teens suffering from mental health problems.

"In every instance, the patient doesn't have to see a psychiatrist," he said. "There are other medical professionals who can help."

Mental health beds often full

Dr. Tamara Hinzwho works withchildren and youth mental health services at Royal University Hospitaland isone of nine child psychiatrists in Saskatoonagreed, saying the best use of health dollars occurs when psychiatrists workin teams alongside nurses and social workers.

"We don't do that very efficiently right now," she said. "Not every child I see can access a counsellor or a therapist."

Hinz said it's hard for her and the families she meets to watch thenew children's hospital being built,knowing mental health services for children will not be part of it.

"I feel sad about it," she said, noting the health authority's recruitment efforts must include physicians who specialize in mental health.

"We're a pretty busy unit and we typically run pretty close to full, or full," she said.

$4M for mental health pilot project

O'Souppraised the province for looking at the way Alberta started bringing mental health professionals into schools more than a decade ago.

Saskatchewan's government has now set aside more than $4 millionto test the concept here.

But theOpposition NDPwarned last year's budget cuts have already led to bigger school classes and fewer support workers, with some mental health programs being reduced or cut entirely.

"The additional support of mental health workers is critical," said Wotherspoon. "In giving hope to young people who may be in despair and darkness, it can save lives.

"We know we lag so far behind on this front. We know we're leaving children behind."