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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, May 8, 2015 | 10 Authorities gather to view mental health needs together by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff Members of the community glimpsed the future of mental health treatment in Halton during an Executive Breakfast in Support of Mental Health for Children and Youth at the Burlington Convention Centre Wednesday. Organized by the Reach Out Centre For Kids (ROCK), in partnership with the Halton Regional Police Service, the event drew an audience of more than 100 people. Those present included local politicians, business leaders and leaders in the mental health, service provider and first-responder fields. The event was intended as an update for those attending on what is happening in the area of child and youth mental health in Halton and Ontario and to give them an opportunity to network and come up with additional suggestions to deal with what some are calling a youth mental health crisis in Ontario. Those present heard one in five Ontarians under age 17 has a mental health disorder that significantly impairs their ability to function in the community. They also heard the problem is only expected to get worse with mental health issues among youths and children forecasted to increase 50 per cent internationally by 2020. "There are significant gaps in the mental health services, particularly those available for Halton Police and Reach out Centre for Kids (ROCK), teamed up to boost awareness at a breakfast event during Children's Mental Health Week. Pictured, from left, Halton Regional Police Service Chief Stephen Tanner and Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK) CEO Ron Rodgers. | photo by Eric Riehl ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) children six years of age and under," said Ron Rodgers, CEO of ROCK, which provides mental health services to children. "There are also gaps in services available for youth transitioning from youth mental health services to adult services." Following consultations with 35 community organizations in the lead-up to the breakfast meeting, Rodgers came up with three priorities intended to help those seeking treatment for mental health issues in Halton. These priorities included exploring access pathways into, between and from core mental health services to ensure they are connected so that families do not get lost during their journey. He also called for the validation and alignment of child and youth mental health service targets so local agencies are all on the same page. Another priority involves reviewing the core mental health services in Halton so the capacity of the resources available can be understood. "We have a broad range of services, but we also have waiting lists, so where are the pressures and priorities and how do they line up," asked Rodgers. Halton Police Chief Stephen Tanner said police are all too familiar with mental health issues in the community. He noted service calls related to mental health and suicide were almost 25 per cent higher in 2014 than in the two previous years. "Halton police officers receive the best training and equipment possible to do their job, but their job is policing," said Tanner. "Most recently, we made additional investments in training to assist officers when responding to calls related to mental illness, but our officers are not trained nor mandated to be true mental health providers." Tanner noted Halton police couldn't solve the community's mental health issues on its own. see Meeting on p.13 The Benefits of an Easy-Flo Built-In Vacuum System LIMITED INCLUDES FOR ONLY FREE $ · Electric Hose · Power Head This price will not last forever, shop · Bare Floor Brush · Compact Size Fits almost anywhere QUANTITIES! 399 Includes: · Hose Hanger > Electric · Duster tool power hose · Crevice tool · Upholstery tool for yours today! Made In Canada Lifetime Guarantee 198 SPEERS ROAD, OAKVILLE Just west of Kerr Street, beside Money Mart 905-844-4736 www.oakvillevac.com ® Cruise Holidays of oakville 221 Lakeshore Road East · 905-337-2228 info@cruiseholidaysoakville.com www.cruiseholidaysoakville.com TICO# 4537114 ON REG# 970855995 OAKVILLE VACUUM LTD. We Repair all Makes of Vacuum Cleaners & Sewing Machines MADE IN CANADA We sell and service all Vacuums!