It could be a difficulty year ahead for those providing mental health services for youth in Grey Bruce.
The Executive Director of Keystone Youth Services says with the economic downturn they along with other groups could be facing some funding issues in 2009.
Dennis Boyle says last year they did not even get a cost of living increase to offset increased expenses and fears if the same thing happens this year, then some mental health programs could suffer.
He says in fact the whole youth mental health system across the province is a fractured system that is in need of revamping.
Boyle says the Children’s ministry is responsible for youth Mental Health issues and funds Keystone, but yet there are now involvement from the Local Health Integration Network which is responsible for other aspects of health care.
He says resources are so stretched that if they allocate resources to deal with a mental health crisis situation they then have to take something away from the area of follow up and long term care.
Boyle says they simply are not meeting the requirements of the mental health system.
He says however on the positive side they have been able to put to gether a bit of a hybrid system in Grey Bruce that partners the local hospital, school board and family physicians.
Boyle says because of the rural nature of Grey Bruce they also have access to a tele psychiatrist service out of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
