Interim report demands more crisis training, education and treatment, following suicide of Fredericton teen
The child and youth advocate office in New Brunswick has released an interim report that looks into youth mental health services in the province following the suicide of Fredericton teen Lexi Daken.
The 16-year-old tried to see a psychiatrist at the Everett Chalmers emergency room in Fredericton on Feb. 18, according to her family.
She never saw one, despite waiting for over eight hours. Daken died by suicide six days later.
Her story has sparked calls for the New Brunswick government to transform the mental health care system, specifically the youth system.
The province’s health minister, Dorothy Shephard, asked the advocate to take on a review of mental health services in the province, and a midway report was released Thursday.
The report includes 10 recommendations, some of which include:
- immediately implement ongoing training and professional development programs to ensure that all emergency room staff are equipped to provide competent and compassionate care to youth who present with suicidal ideation or following suicide attempts
- a provincial fund and strategy to support mental health awareness and education activities through schools and communities,
- an independent review by N.B. First Nations experts of Youth Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Services for Indigenous Children and Youth both on and off reserve
- improve interim psychological and psychiatric treatment options in regionalized hospital care settings and in the Pierre Caissie Centre and Restigouche Hospital Centre (RHC) Youth unit
Daken’s father, Chris, is taking time to read the report, but hopes the province considers the recommendations, no matter the cost.
“There are things that are more important than money,” he said Thursday. “We still have a lot of unanswered questions … how can you put a value on someone’ life when they go in to get help?”
He says he’s hoping the complete report – which is supposed to be released at the end of July – will provide more of the roadmap needed to improve the system, not just for youth, but for everyone.
The advocate’s office spoke to experts in the field, but also youth who tried to get help from the healthcare and hospital system.
“One of the main challenges that we have heard from Lexi’s own family, but also from several other youth, parents and health professionals who have come forward in our review already is the need to intervene appropriately with suicidal youth,” the report reads.
It says some youth were “refused access to their loved ones for hours without end,” and felt like a “burden” when they were admitted to the hospital for suicidal ideation.
“One such young person was adamant that she would never seek hospital-based care again in a similar situation of crisis.”
Daken’s family chose to speak out about Lexi’s death, saying they want to help prevent it from happening again.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.