A4 -The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, October 25, 2005 ,More'startling stats released on teens and suicide SV MIVR ANIE HFNNFSSEY A\bout -;0 Pet cent ot local y euths tît Fratîsittitns lot- Youth ITFY) recently sverked with were teuttd te be at high risk et sui- cide. Thai svas one of the startling statisties presenied te the Regtitn's health and social sersices contnittee lasi Tucsday by TFY nxuive Director Ellis Katsof, wbo appeared ai the meeting as Watch For the 2005-2006 MILTON COMMUNITY GUIDE In Today's Paper ( :caiabln* grints te zt t sk cîtildri. yeuth andtultheti lattttles. nu tidtttg yenth invelved wtth the crimittal justice sysienti. Mr. Katset detaited data cotleeted frontr Aprîl 1, 2(X)4 te March 31 thts year on youîh in varittus TFY pregrams. whtch îllusiraicd the strain on local metal health services. He said in its residential cusiody and detentien programs, 1 (X) per cent eftihe 164 yeuths aged 12 to 17 -bad mnental health challenges and 52 per cent had been diagnosed wiih serions mental healîh diserders. Of those, hc saîd 71 per cent wcre ai high rîsk ef violence, 47 per cent were aI high nisk toI substatnce abuse and 15 per cent were at btgh rtsk tif settng tires. Atsti. I(X) per cent ot' fernates in the progrant had suftured aîbuse, many sexual abuse. And et the 171 youth iti TFY's Bridgittg the Gap programn for ihttse ages 16 te 21 wht are bîîmeless or at risk ot' becttming bomecless, he saîd (X) per cetnt had been in the mental health sys- temn, 85 per cent had been in the youth justice system. 30) per cent were at htgh rtsk ot svitlence and 90) per cent used or abused dmugs and/lor aletîbtl. et suicide - a ttutttbt tîtat Mt. Katsol stîd is seîry cettuettîîîtlg.' -What (ail tf') these numbers are sbowing are the results ef the cracks in tîur over stressed chîldren's mental health system," he satut. "Mental beatth funding te support these youtb îs seriousty tackîng in Halton and furiher ctîmpounds the situation." Changes called for Mr. Kaisof tolut the cemmîtîce when service providers and eteet- cd tîfficials are respondîng te provincial poticy consultatioîns. both necut te ensure changes te the mental healîh systemn are responsive tIt att mental heat needs of Hatton chilutren, youth and familtes. Haltn Chîlutren's Mental Health Advtsory Cemmittee Chair Rtîn Rodgers aIse appealeut ttt the Region ftor betp in promotîng severat concepts te the Province, such as: - Chitdren, youth and their famtlies shoulut have the same right atîd access tut mental health services as te any other heatth service. - Sufficient capaciîy sboutd be built te deat witb wait tists and pruîgram-relateut development needs such as an adequate levet of cbitd andt adoltescent psycbiatry. The issue came up eartier this year and Regional Chairman Jtoyce Savîttîne subsequentty wrote te the mînîster toc chîlutren and youth services andt met wîtb hec ttt discuss mental bealtb services fotr chilutren attd youth. 'Me mittister was then infermeut et Italien's cetîcerrs. whîch inctude a tack otf funding l'or cbildren's mîenttal heatth ,ervices, tack ef psychtatrc services andt the necut lor at uotnprehetîsîve sîrategy ttt address chîtdren's, mental tîeatth. t1 has e eseîy uontfiduenîce flic tnttistet is sotmeotte \vhtîsý uoin- itier] te the coîcerîts ittat basve been raiseut-- contmeted te ttx- ttcl tîheiît. Ms Sas et tic ttîtd the coînînitice. i\ report ti t Dttt[r. Nosat andu Souctat attu (emtîîiuîty Sersvtees ( ottnît ssîoeet Autetîna t..rhatîskî satut statf) ssil uorne tor\ward duc- îîtg ttc 2(X)fi buduget lîeîcess Io reutuest ai tîcrease te the heath dep.ýtiietts teseourues te address,, chîttreits tîental health needs. tl'le ci ntttee enutersed a teneîthy rc eîîîntdatîon cattinci foc Ms Ssli et to ottue ,teatn ss rte te tlie rntttster ot chlîtdren anut 'etttî sets tes re-entplasîetng the îteed tor tncreased lundîng totr utttlrett's and youih metntal health sersvtces. amîîngst other thin,,s, The tssue ss ill go betere regîcîtat counicit tomttrrow,. Me4aitt Hi'îîîi's.s îîtt hi t titied ettt/etî.s5 tttit