Cutting mental-health costs is no saving

Times Colonist
February 8, 2013

Re: “Time to resuscitate mental-health services in B.C.,” Feb. 6.

Many thanks for the article on mental health by Dr. Andre Masters and for the ongoing emphasis on this serious problem.

“Patients waiting for days in in the psychiatric emergency service” are unfortunate enough; what of the fate of those being held on remand in our provincial prisons for two years or so, or serving long sentences in facilities and under the care of guards who, through absolutely no fault of their own, are simply unable to extend the care needed? The damage done to the individual is often irreversible.

The lack of an appropriate facility has a double whammy; there is no centre from which appropriate para-medical support can radiate into the community, thereby assuring high recidivism and huge additional long-term care costs.

The government has a curious way of going about its vaunted cost-cutting programs. It succeeds in being not only deplorable but incredibly counter-productive.

Marcia Williams

Victoria