THE GUARDIAN OPINION PAGE ON NOVEMBER 16, 2023, FINALLY OPENED THE EYES OF THE P.E.I. PUBLIC REGARDING THE COMMUNITY TREATMENT ORDER.

THE TITLE: MENTAL HEALTH BILL CONTAINS FATAL FLAW. ALSO CBC ISLAND MORNING AIRED AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. RICHARD O'REILLY, PSYCHIATRIST, FROM LONDON, ONTARIO ON NOVEMBER 17, 2023

SUBTITLE: CRITICAL WORD MISSING IN PROPOSED COMMUNITY TREATMENT ORDER LEGISLATION.

While this may be a revelation to you, it was not to Dr. Richard O'Reilly, psychiatrist, emeritus professor of psychiatry at Western University, London, Ontario, or Dr. John Gray, lead author of mental health law and policy and MAMA BEAR, grassroots parent of a mentally ill loved one and mental illness advocate.

Both these doctors have extensive experience and have helped several provinces implement CTOs. They jointly offered to guide the P.E.I. Government with the legislation of the province's first CTO with no financial compensation. They both have extensive careers dealing with CT.s and wanted to assist the province to achieve the best CTO possible. Unfortunately, they were both ignored, and now we have a substandard legislated CTO excluding many Islanders due to the excessive restrictions.

Did you know the PC Party, the Green Party and the Liberal Party were aware of the situation BEFORE THE CTO LEGISLATION WAS PASSED? Why do I know this? Because I literally peppered the decision makers with e-mails trying to avoid an embarrassing disaster for the PC Party and Dr. Javier Salabarria, P.E.I. Medical Director Mental Health and Addictions.

As renown experts in the field of mental illness, Dr. Richard O'Reilly and Dr. John Gray authored an EVOLUTION AND COMPARISONS document, which provided the differences between the RESTRICTIVE P.E.I. proposed CTO and the BEST IN CANADA N.B. CTO model.

Both doctors reached out to me to help Andrew in our family's dire heartbreaking situation and also to help navigate the P.E.I. CTO process. Their main concern was to help and give hope to the mentally ill on P.E.I.
These two mental health experts have researched CTOs throughout their entire careers. They were willing to share their knowledge and expertise with the P.E.I. Government officials, but were essentially ignored.

I sent e-mail after e-mail pleading with the P.E.I. Government to embrace the GOLD STANDARD N.B. CTO model because Islanders waited a very long time for a CTO. In fact, P.E.I. was the last province in Canada to legislate a CTO, albeit a flawed one!

In my mind, the residents of P.E.I. DESERVE and NEED the very best CTO legislation, and the CTO passed November 15, 2023 is regrettably not it!
You might be thinking what is the problem with the P.E.I. SILVER STANDARD CTO? Why is it falling short? Here is why, in a nutshell. The P.E.I. CTO is so restrictive that few Islanders will qualify, including our son, Andrew.

On the other hand, the BEST IN CANADA GOLD STANDARD N.B CTO is flexible and will entitle many N.B. mentally ill patients to qualify. Also it does not tie the hands of the clinicians. Community Treatment Orders keep patients well, and out of expensive hospital beds. It is a very proactive approach for mentally ill patients.

Here is the explanation and eligibility criteria from Dr. Richard O'Reilly and Dr. John Gray.

COMPARISONS P.E.I. CTO TO N.B. CTO:
1. Previous hospitalization.
PEI: at least 2 involuntary admissions AND a total of 30 days as involuntary inpatient.
NB: 1 admission of any duration OR none if there is a “pattern of behaviour” that is likely to cause serious harm or deterioration. Alberta has a similar provision to NB.

Dr. Gray stated, "For Andrew and others' first long admission they would not qualify for a CTO in P.E.I. but would in other provinces. This is because P.E.I. requires, in addition a cumulative 30 days in hospital, 2 more admissions. Ontario and Alberta, for example have long hospitalization stay as an alternative to the 2 or more admissions.

The other problem with the P.E.I. proposal is that many patients who need CTOs have short admissions. However, even if a person had 4 admissions of 7 days each, within 2 years, they still would not qualify in P.E.I. because that does not total to 30 days. BUT IF ANDREW AND OTHERS LIKE HIM WERE IN ANY OTHER PROVINCE, THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR A CTO WITH 2 OR MORE ADMISSIOINS, HOWEVER SHORT." IF YOU THINK WE HAVE THE WORST CTO IN CANADA, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!

When Dr. Richard O'Reilly, Dr. John Gray and I realized that no amount of persuasion was going to change the minds of the PC Government, the doctors thought a one-word amendment at 3rd Reading might save the day. It would state, "admitted as an involuntary patient in a psychiatric facility on two or more occasions OR for a total of at least 30 days" That would bring the P.E.I. CTO from being the WORST IN CANADA to the same standards as many other provinces."

My question to you is this? Should Islanders accept a compromise CTO or should we DEMAND THE GOLD STANDARD N.B. CTO MODEL? I vote for the GOLD STANDARD N.B. CTO MODEL!

I believe the PC Government had ample time to turn things around. P.E.I. Green Party, Peter Bevan-Baker pleaded with the PC Party to not legislate the proposed CTO at 3rd Reading. He asked the PC Party to have a sober second thought. He told them that this P.E.I. CTO was literally a matter of LIFE AND DEATH. Karla Bernard, Leader of The Green Party also gave a very compassionate plea. Liberal Party member, Gord McNeilly passionately gave a compelling speech pleading with the PC party to reconsider their decision to legislate the CTO at 3rd Reading to no avail. And still the PC Party stoically stood their ground.

What does this say about the PC members who voted in favour of the motion to legislate the flawed CTO? Do I say they understood the serious consequences of their actions? I say, "No." Do I say they seriously thought about the mentally ill and their loved ones who are suffering? I say, "No." Do I think these are good people who were misguided? I say, "Yes." Do I think they can do better? I say, "Yes."

How can the PC Party make amends to the people of P.E.I.? The PC Party painted the new Community Treatment Order as the best thing since sliced bread and they knew the difference!

Can we forgive the PC Government? That will depend on what they do next to remedy the situation. I personally believe they owe it to Islanders to introduce and legislate the BEST CTO IN CANADA which is the N.B. CTO model. Do you agree with me?

Being a political junkie, I don't know the legal laws of how or if you can amend a 3rd Reading Bill before Royal Assent. Perhaps the PC Party has to start from the beginning with the N.B. CTO model initiating the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Reading procedures again! All I know is that you have to FIX IT!

I am asking the PC Party to DO THE RIGHT THING. I am asking Minister of Health and Wellness, Mark McLane, the following:

Will you, as Minister of Health and Wellness be willing to show the public that you made a huge mistake and are big enough to admit it? Falling short of that , would you be willing to start the CTO process again and implement the N.B. CTO GOLD STANDARD model? If so, I think many Islanders would forgive the PC Party for the PC faux pas.

How do I know all this? Because Lloyd and I sat in the P.E.I, Legislature and watched the debate. The video of the proceedings is now available on YouTube. It is interesting to watch the body language of the PC Party, as well as the spoken word. Here is the link. Please have a look for yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88SQ3ONr0rg

During the video I heard my pleas and anguished cry when the PC Party rendered the passed 3rd Reading CTO legislation. You have no idea the pain and suffering this legislation has caused our family. We were heart broken, as we left the P.E.I. Legislature knowing that our son could potentially die on the streets without medication, because of your decision! May none of you ever have to experience the trauma, grief and sleepless nights worrying about your loved one with a mental illness.

We visited Andrew yesterday at Hillsborough Hospital. He actually smiled a few times. Andrew was also able to carry on a conversation today. He talks highly about the delicious meals, snacks, etc. He likes to get outside for some fresh air and go for a walk. He is still seriously ill but we can see a glimmer of Andrew's personality now. It will be slow progress, as he was off his medication for several years and deteriorated as a result of that.

We are worrying now that Andrew will not qualify for the new P.E.I. Community Treatment Order upon discharge. We have no idea how much clarity Andrew will have. We wonder if he will be able to recognize that he is doing much better and needs to stay on his medications. If not, we fear he will go back on the streets again in the winter and we may not be able to locate him.

The P.E.I. Government has really dropped the ball on the CTO. There will be many, many mentally ill patients not qualify due to the restrictive criteria. I fear for their lives and for Andrew's survival.

The song, YOU NEVER WALK ALONE played in my head this morning as I wrote my daily post.

Here is the link. I hope you enjoy it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93KD2fb9EFY

I believe that God will make a way! Here is that song: Here is the link for God Will Make A Way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zo3fJYtS-o

I live by the following William Bennett credo: "We are here to help one another along life's journey." If you believe this, then you will do the right thing and legislate the N.B. CTO GOLD STANDARD MODEL BECAUSE ISLANDERS DESERVE IT AND YOU WANT TO DO THE BEST FOR ISLANDERS!

I have taken a bold and courageous step standing up to what I believe to be true. Previously, I successfully advocated for a mammogram machine, linear accelerator and Joseph A. Ghiz Memorial Park. I do not take my stance lightly.

MAMA BEAR WILL NEVER GIVE UP!