Advocate's report: 38% of Sask. children, youth surveyed say pandemic has hurt mental health

Children and youth in the province are at a crisis point in trying to access and receive mental-health and addictions services, according to the annual report by the advocate for children and youth

The report found that they are not getting help in time due to long wait periods, along with inadequate resources.  

The report involved almost 500 participants from across ministry sectors, communities, families and young people. It investigated concerns including self-harm, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, completed suicides and substance use among young people. 

The advocate's report found that 38 per cent of surveyed children and youth in Saskatchewan reported a decline in their mental health as a result of the pandemic.

"It's very clear suicide is the gravest outcome of poor mental health and well-being in children. There's no question that COVID 19 has exacerbated these issues," advocate Lisa Broda told reporters at the Legislative Building in Regina on Tuesday. 

"Research shows that young people across Canada are being hit harder by COVID 19 stressors than adults. The impacts of social isolation, school closures, moves to remote learning, job losses are causing significant stressors on children, youth, families and communities," she said.

"We recognise the pressures of responding to the pandemic have hindered the pace of government efforts on addressing mental health. However, the impacts of the pandemic should signal the increased urgency required to address barriers to meaningful services that were already an issue prior to the pandemic."

The report includes 14 recommendations for the government, all related to mental-health and addictions, inpatient and community-based services.

Data from the Coroners Service of Saskatchewan shows that from 2010 to 2021, 235 children and youth up to 19 years of age died by suicide in the province. 

The advocate is calling for youth advisory councils to be implemented within the Ministry of Health and health authorities.

She calls for wait times for mental health and addictions services to be decreased, and outreach-based mental health and addictions services to be expanded. 

The advocate recommends the funding of more mental health counselors and Indigenous elders and knowledge keepers in schools. She also recommends funding and providing in-home support services to families who require it in order to maintain care for their children at home. 

The advocate wants "middle-tier" therapeutic residential services for children and youth developed in Saskatchewan. She recommends that current detox and addictions treatment models be evaluated and enhanced. 

Furthermore, the advocate calls for the transition from child and youth to adult mental health and addictions services to be improved. She recommends that the government move all child-serving ministries to an integrated service-delivery model to "enhance communication and coordination of services and achieve better outcomes for mental health and addictions services."