On June 22, 2011, the Ontario government announced their comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, titled Open Minds, Healthy Minds. Starting this year, the government will invest a total $257 million dollars over three years in the province’s mental health system to help children and youth access support services. The program will focus on early intervention and support to protect our children from the many associated costs of mental illness and addictions and help steer them on the road to safe, healthy, and happy futures. The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care says their goals are to: provide children, youth and families with fast access to high quality services; identify and intervene in child and youth mental health and addictions issues early; and close critical service gaps for vulnerable children and youth, children and youth at key transition points, and those in remote communities. The goal is to give more children, youth, adults and their families the services they need, more quickly, and more effectively to prevent and reduce the personal, social and economic costs of mental health and addictions problems
