N.S. government takes step toward public access to private mental health, addiction care

Changes introduced at Province House on Friday will lead to private mental health practitioners being able to deliver insured services as part of the publicly funded health-care system.

Brian Comer, the minister responsible for the Office of Addictions and Mental Health, introduced amendments to the Health Services and Insurance Act. That's the legislation that allows for the public payment for services provided by professionals such as doctors, dentists and pharmacists.

"With these amendments it's how we'll pay some mental health and addictions providers for the services that they will deliver as well," Comer told reporters during a bill briefing.

"Because seeing a psychologist or therapist when you need one shouldn't be any different than seeing a doctor or a dentist. They all deliver health-care services important health-care services."

Part of campaign promise

The changes are a key step toward fulfilment of the Tory campaign promise of a universal mental health and addictions program.

Comer said there is "significant capacity" among private providers to help address demand for services.

While the minister said the public system responds well to people with acute and complex needs, he said people with mild to moderate non-urgent needs would benefit most from the eventual changes.

Work is underway on a service code manual that will outline the services and corresponding providers that would be covered through the public system.

Comer said his office is starting with psychologists, social workers and registered counselling therapists. Such services have mostly only been available for people with private insurance or the ability to pay out of pocket, he said.

'We need to remove that barrier'

"We need to remove that barrier so any Nova Scotian who needs those health-care services can access them regardless of their ability to pay."

The minister said he expects the public option using private practitioners will begin to be available sometime during the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The government recently announced pilot projects using private providers to help cut into the wait-lists for people in need of psychological services and a clinical psychological services program for people awaiting diagnostic assessments for autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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