Coroner’s report on suicide in Québec | Québec’s public system must provide access to mental health services

June 14, 2023

Gatineau – The APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) welcomes coroner Julie-Kim Godin’s report on suicide, which emphasizes the importance of prevention when taking charge of a patient. The APTS agrees with the goal, stated in the report, of fighting the revolving door phenomenon and giving priority to upstream action.

“We need to see concrete measures in the near future to prevent crisis situations and make sure people in distress get the right kind of support,”” said APTS 3rd vice-president Benoit Audet. “This is essential, and mental health services must be made available through the public system. People should be able to access quality services quickly and easily. This is a right for all Quebecers, and access shouldn’t depend on the size of their wallet.”

Needs in the area of mental health are growing, as APTS members are in a position to notice every day, and the expertise of all mental health workers is required to respond effectively. This means encouraging work within interdisciplinary teams that call on the knowledge and skills of each profession.

When someone is in distress, an interdisciplinary team can provide an overall vision of the situation. It then becomes possible to act not only on symptoms, but on key determinants of health such as housing, financial and food security, and the person’s physical and psychological integrity. “Using the private sector to provide psychotherapy constitutes a break with the integrated approach to care that is the hallmark of the public system. The continuity of care is threatened,” said Audet.

Attracting and retaining qualified employees is crucially important if we want to improve the public system’s ability to offer mental health services, and this means providing them with better working conditions. In doing so, the government will be able to guarantee the quality and continuity of services that are offered to Quebecers.

The APTS will continue to analyze the recommendations put forward in coroner Julie-Kim Godin’s report. “We’re available as active collaborators to help develop innovative, effective solutions that will answer Quebecers’ needs in terms of mental health,” concluded the APTS 3rd vice-president.

The APTS

The APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) represents more than 65,000 members who play a key role in ensuring that health and social services institutions run smoothly. Our members provide a wide range of services for all Quebecers, including diagnostic, rehabilitation, nutrition, psychosocial intervention, clinical support, and prevention services.