Mental Health and Addiction Strategy

Many economic and social factors (e.g., poverty, social and cultural isolation, inadequate housing, family violence, exposure to trauma, etc) impact mental health and the overall health of communities; and solutions cannot be solely the responsibility of the health system. [...] Challenges and Opportunities Across the country and in PEI, the mental health system is experiencing a shortage of specialist mental health providers such as psychologists, and many provinces find recruitment and retention of specialists such as psychiatrists difficult. [...] Finally, increased demand for services and changing population trends (e.g., aging population, co-occurring mental illness and chronic disease) impact how and where the workforce deliver care in the future and the system will be required to rise to the challenge. [...] Better experience for workforce is the right size and has the right make up of skilled people to people with mental deliver timely efficient evidence-based care, taking into consideration new health problems and ways of working to make the best use of the workforce, changing population illnesses needs, recruitment and retention, and future demand for services. [...] Improved quality of life for people with a mental approaches health problem or illness and their families 20 Prince Edward Island’s Mental Health and Addiction Strategy 2016 – 2026 FOSTER RECOVERY AND WELL-BEING MAKING THE STRATEGY VISION HAPPEN What is Being Done Now Improving supports and services for mental health and addictions has been a long-standing government priority.