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There is significant evidence mental illness is bereft of proper health parentage. There is an increasing recogni~ tion that there is no health without mental health. she said. Nationally. {nemal health care receives a minuscule percentage of federal health dollars. Ofthe association's 2012-13 revenues. $8.5 million was pro- vided by the Central Local Health Integration Network and Ontario Health and bong-Ibrm Care Min- istry. The network. serving York and surrounding regions. allocated $72 million for outpatient mental health and addictions last year â€"â€" about 4 per cent of its total health allotment. Challenges abound. Ms Shields A key impediment lies within individuals who have mental dis- orders. “A lot of people an": suffering. but. because of sugma. they don't seelg help.” she said. lfdleydomadtounmexeam timesasbmasninetommndmbr amewmkenostanafile. York Region's rural areas are under served. she said. and the burgeoning newcomer popula- tion will require increasing mental heath supports ' One of the identified challenges experienced in Central UllN is the gaps that exist in the mental health and addictions system and access to care. CEO Kim Baker said. Other challenges include the availability of supportive housing. integration between the various sectors and support for primary care practitioners to treat patients struggling with mental illness or substance abuse issues. “We are working with our 21 mental health and addiction agencies to address these chal- lenges collaboratively. to harness best practices and innovation to improve care and to improve access to care with new funding when we can. she said. me top three most common mental health issues at Southlake are people suicidal with depms- sion. schizophrenia_and other psy- chotic disoliiels and mmxicty. nich- tal health viceâ€"president Annette lones said. In a region with more than 1.2 million people. hospitals are bracing for increased challenges Resources for children and adoles- cent mental health care are scarce. said Ms Jones. who is also respon- sible for maiemal child. medicine and surgery as chief nursing executive. The health facility has only 24 adult mental health inpatient beds and the eating disorder program has two. She is hopeful the (‘rmral U "N will soon fund an additional 12 beds» Hospitals in York Region need to develop partnerships and pool remmmes with other health facili- ties. associmions and organiza- lions. Markham Stouffvillo Hospital ‘8 33 adult mental health patient beds am perpetually occupied. chief of psychiatry Dr. Rustom Sethna said. "We battle every day to ensure we can adequately service the mental health needs of patients." he said. "We do our best with lim- ited resources." Mental health can: pmfcxs‘lnn- als universally am frustrated with the bleak fiscal climate and trickle of budgetary dollars. he said. The hospital admits about 1.000 patients each year.