NDP promising to add more mental health beds in Windsor

Windsor West NDP candidate Lisa Gretzky is pledging more funding for mental health care in Windsor-Essex.

The party is promising to open 89 mental health beds at Hotel Dieu-Grace Healthcare ifelected, Gretzky announced Friday.

It would be part of a $1.6 billion-upgrade to the mental health care system that would include 2,000 more beds.

"The NDP has committed to hiring 2,200 new mental health workers. Hire 400 new mental health workers in high schools and establish a new dedicated ministry of mental health and addictions," said Gretzky.

• Mental health services in Windsor-Essex stretched, need more money
• NDP looks to gain voters in southwest Ontario
• What role should mental health play in the provincial election?

Gretzky says wait times for are too long and there's not enough funding.

"Health care is in crisis," she said.

She told reporters Friday her party's plan would reduce wait times for children receiving mental health care to a maximum of 30 days.

A former social worker and discharge planner who has worked in the mental health care field told reporters the system is underfunded and patients are being sent home or taking up acute care beds which they shouldn't be.

AndreaCorby, the mother of a teenager with mental illness, also told reporters she had to re-mortgage her home to pay for $50,000 in bills associated with caring for her son.

"All government funded residential programs have a two-year wait list. When your family is in a crisis you do not have two years. Early intervention is key," said Corby, whose 15-year-old son has anxiety and addiction problems.

Corby's son is in a mental health facility in Northern Ontario because she couldn't get him into the local Maryvale program sooner.

He has been there since last month.

She is fundraisingto help pay her expenses.

Gretzky says the NDP would fund a new mental health ministry and 400 additional mental health professionals for high schools by eliminating standardized testing.