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Mental Health and Substance Use
Overview|Resources
What is the issue?
People living with mental illness are twice as likely as other Canadians to experience problematic substance use. These individuals also account for nearly one-third of inpatient mental health admissions.
Currently, service providers supporting people living with mental illness and problematic substance use work across multiple programs and sectors, many of which operate under different funding streams and reporting mechanisms and do not share information.
As a result, people living with mental illness and problematic substance use have difficulty getting the care they need.
Additionally, the MHCC has received funding to examine the risks and benefits related to cannabis use and mental health.
What are we doing?
To address this issue we are filling key knowledge gaps in
- the relationship between cannabis use and mental health
- opioid training for health-care providers.
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Cannabis research Cannabis and Mental Health: Priorities for Research in Canada
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Opioid training |
As we grow to better understand the co-occurring nature of mental health problems and substance use, there is a call to work more closely on providing integrated care. This work is new to the MHCC, and we are building networks and collaborating with partners working across the field. We are currently focusing on the ongoing opioid crisis, which is taking a devastating toll on individuals, families, front-line workers and communities across the country.