UPDATE: The official House of Commons petition for "More for Carlos Act" has been APPROVED!
Hello everyone,
I wanted to drop a quick, but massive, update for this community following my previous posts.
Thanks to the incredible support, shared stories, and momentum we've built together regarding the systemic gaps in Canada’s emergency psychiatric care, the official e-petition for the More for Carlos Act has officially cleared the parliamentary hurdles!
The text has been finalized, we've secured our MP sponsorship, and the petition has been formally approved. It is currently in the final administrative step with the Clerk of Petitions undergoing official translation. It now eagerly awaits official publication on the Government of Canada's House of Commons website!
Once it goes live in the next few days, I will share the direct link so we can start gathering the signatures needed to force this issue onto the floor of the House.
This petition will be closed and anyone that has previously signed here is encouraged to re-sign on government petition. Signatures from change.org will not be counted as per government officials!
We are making real, tangible progress. We are one step closer to demanding federally legislated standards, safer discharge protocols, and specialized psychiatric triage so that no one else slips through the cracks of our emergency rooms.
Thank you for standing by me and keeping Carlos's memory alive by fighting for systemic change. Get ready to sign and share
I'll be back with the link very soon!
The key points raised were:
WHEREAS there is a critical lack of accessible emergency mental health support for children and youth, leaving minors in crisis and their families without timely intervention or specialized pediatric psychiatric care.
Point regarding Police Involvement: WHEREAS the current crisis response model frequently relies on law enforcement rather than trained social workers or psychiatric professionals, which can escalate distress and criminalize individuals experiencing a mental health emergency.
Point regarding Universal Coverage: WHEREAS essential mental health treatments, preventative therapy, and ongoing psychological support are largely excluded from universal public healthcare coverage, forcing patients to rely on inadequate emergency rooms as a last resort.
Point regarding Trauma-Informed Care: WHEREAS there is a significant deficiency in specialized training for hospital staff regarding trauma-informed care, safe de-escalation tactics, and the management of complex or less common psychiatric disorders.WHEREAS individuals seeking emergency mental health support are routinely evaluated by general emergency staff without ever receiving formal assessments from dedicated psychiatric professionals or specialized crisis intervention teams.
Point regarding Unsafe Discharges: WHEREAS there is a lack of standardized protocols and accountability regarding patient discharge, resulting in vulnerable individuals in acute mental distress being repeatedly turned away or discharged unsafely without preventative care.
Point regarding Legislative Standards: WHEREAS there is an urgent need for federally legislated standards, such as mandated maximum wait times for psychiatric assessments in emergency rooms and guaranteed mental health parity within the public healthcare system.
Point regarding Rural and Regional Disparities: WHEREAS patients in rural or smaller communities face compounded barriers, including a severe lack of local psychiatric specialists, resulting in individuals being held in crisis for days until inpatient beds become available in larger centers.
WHEREAS there is a critical lack of accessible emergency mental health support for children and youth, leaving minors in crisis and their families without timely intervention or specialized pediatric psychiatric care.
Point regarding Police Involvement: WHEREAS the current crisis response model frequently relies on law enforcement rather than trained social workers or psychiatric professionals, which can escalate distress and criminalize individuals experiencing a mental health emergency.
Point regarding Universal Coverage: WHEREAS essential mental health treatments, preventative therapy, and ongoing psychological support are largely excluded from universal public healthcare coverage, forcing patients to rely on inadequate emergency rooms as a last resort.
Point regarding Trauma-Informed Care: WHEREAS there is a significant deficiency in specialized training for hospital staff regarding trauma-informed care, safe de-escalation tactics, and the management of complex or less common psychiatric disorders