Revamping the Mental Health Act was on the mind of Lisa Gaudet.
So on November 27, the City of Dauphin brought forward the resolution at the Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention in Winnipeg. The three-day convention welcomed delegates from around the province.
The City of Dauphin was represented by Lisa, Sharla Griffiths, and multiple councillors, including Christian Laughland, Dauphin's deputy mayor. The Mental Health Act is more than 25 years old.
Mental health care, community needs, and best practices in crisis response have changed dramatically since then.
"Across Manitoba, we are seeing more mental health emergencies. The RCMP are being pulled into roles that really require a health-based response," said Gaudet. "We received significant support for this resolution. This isn't just a Dauphin problem. Communities across Manitoba are facing the same challenges."
Gaudet says municipalities recognize that the RCMP can not and should not be the primary mental health responders. Updating the Act will lead to better outcomes for people in crisis. It will improve public safety by freeing up officers to do the work they're trained to do."
The resolution passed with approximately 94 per cent support from the membership.
"We were very pleased and not surprised. This is an issue that affects communities across the province," continued Gaudet. "Apart from the vote in support of this resolution, we also received a lot of comments from the delegates expressing their support for this concept."
In Manitoba, an estimated 28 per cent of adults have a diagnosed mental illness. Manitoba has the highest past-year prevalence of any mental disorder (13.63%) and alcohol use disorder (3.83%) in Canada.
It's estimated that in any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness.
Taking care of your mental health is more important than ever.
At AMM, the City of Dauphin found out they're receiving money from the provincial government for the new daycare that is coming to town. It was also confirmed by Wab Kinew that they'll break ground on the City's new correctional centre next year.
"Well, AMM was a very productive experience for those that attended," ended Gaudet. "We were able to bring forward some of the concerns that are specific to the City of Dauphin. We met with the cabinet ministers on various issues regarding public safety and more. We felt it was a very productive convention."
The AMM's next convention is slated for the spring.
