The third annual National Report Card on Mental Health services is giving provincial and federal governments resounding “Fs” almost across the board.

According to the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Heath, it shows a stark failure to address the mental health and substance use crisis in the country.

Glenn Brimacombe with the Alliance shares the status of Canadians’ mental health as determined by the report card.

“Roughly one in five Canadians experience mental illness every year, more than one in two are struggling and not getting the mental health care that they need to improve their mental health status. Untreated mental illness costs the Canadian economy about 50 billion dollars every year and it’s estimated that about 21 percent of Canadians will meet the criteria for a substance use disorder or addiction in their lifetime. It’s also interesting to know when you look at some of Statistic Canada’s data, roughly 26 percent of Canadians say that they have poor or fair mental health.”

Brimacombe said the federal government should create new legislation to complement the health act to equally value the access to mental health services.

Added to that, they should provide specific funding for mental health care in the health transfer payment.

Thirdly, there should be better assessment of the services provided in the health care system to ensure value for money.

Hear the full interview with Brimacombe more on Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10.