What is Ontario’s Mental Health and Addiction Strategy?

In June 2011, the government of Ontario released Open Minds, Healthy Minds: Ontario’s Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, a provincial strategy that commits to reducing the burden of mental illness and addictions by ensuring all Ontarians have timely access to an integrated system of coordinated care.

The initial three years of the strategy emphasize services for children and youth. Three priorities in this area will contribute to the goals of the overall Strategy:

1. Providing children, youth and families with fast access to high quality services.
2. Identifying and intervening in child and youth mental health issues early.
3. Closing critical services gaps for vulnerable children and youth, children and youth at key transition points, and those in remote communities.