People are dying, committing suicide from the lack of accessible, timely appropriate mental health care. This week a 16-year-old girl took her own life in Fredericton, NB after waiting more than eight hours to see someone for help at a local hospital. This is not the first time and not the first hospital in the province that failed to offer the care needed to save the life of a troubled individual - in this case a vibrant young woman still in high school.

Hospitals are not equipped to help with the many mental health issues (and especially addictions).  Nurses do not have the power to change this. Not even doctors have the power to change this. The SYSTEM and our government needs to step up and intervene in this crisis - more therapists, more psychologists, more psychiatrists readily available when someone shows up at a hospital. We also need healing centres where people can get mental health treatment and services appropriate to their age, culture and needs.

There also needs to be changes in policies to allow at least one family member or designated person to accompany and or visit those in hospitals. The lack of contact is adding to the mental health crisis.

Having a "Talk Day" once a year is not the answer. We need to talk everyday. Those suffering are suffering everyday and monies used for "token" statements about mental health need to go into grassroots solutions and it needs to start NOW!