Young People In Province Desperately Need Better Mental Health Services

Too many young people with mental health problems have been falling through the cracks and not getting the help they need. That message was delivered to MindCare New Brunswick by parents who have had first hand experience trying to get their children help. 

The Executive Director of Dots NB (named after a report by Bernard Richard, “Connecting the Dots: A report on the condition of youth-at-risk and youth with very complex needs in New Brunswick”)  Maureen Bilerman is one such parent. She tells CHSJ News early intervention is essential adding one in five students in any classroom needs such help and only 20 percent are getting treated which can lead to disastrous consequences down the road as happened with Ashley Smith of Moncton who choked herself to death while jailed in Kitchener, Ontario.



Another parent, Stephanie Chaisson found many of the people she dealt with in the healthcare system seemed to be at a loss on how to deal with teenage psych patients. 

he also told the conference there are two psychologists at the Mercantile Centre who deal with young people. When she sought help for her daughter, one was on maternity leave and the other had a waiting list of 8 months.