Unique resort for people with disabilities deserves to be protected

Tracy Hurlbert (sitting right) and her mother Connie Hurlbert
(standing left) spend time at the Wilderness Discovery
Resort (WDR). (Credit: Tracy Hurlbert.)

For people struggling with disabilities, the Wilderness Discovery Resort (WDR) is a dream come true. A picturesque resort located in Lake Shebandowan, Ontario, Canada, the WDR provides all of the accommodations that people with disabilities need, giving much-needed relief to them and their families. Unfortunately, the WDR is at risk of being closed down, with plans to sell off the land. Now, every effort must be made to save the WDR.

It is a scenario that should not be allowed to happen--a barrier-free camp designed for people with disabilities being forced to shut down, all to please a faceless millionaire. The fact that any type of public land could be sold off just to please a wealthy person without knowing all the details is insulting; to allow this private sale to take place on land that is designated for people with disabilities makes this possibility even more outrageous. However, one person is willing to fight for the WDR.

Kevin Johnson, an American citizen, has been advocating to save the WDR. He, his wife, and his father, Kirk, a disabled former U.S. Navy service member, often travel to the WDR to accommodate to his father's needs. In the past, Johnson and his family had thoroughly researched other facilities that are supposed to help people with disabilities, but they had discovered that many "accessible" areas often do not live up to their claims of being truly barrier-free. Johnson believes so strongly in the WDR that he has launched a Change.org petition to help keep it open.

If only people in positions of power would demonstrate the same type of leadership as Johnson when it comes to saving the WDR. Many people deserve to be blamed for the WDR's uncertain future, and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is one of them. Wynne has spent so much money on the Toronto 2015 Pan Am & Parapan Am Games to try and make Toronto look like a world-class city, yet will not provide appropriate funding for the WDR. While the Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games temporarily brought attention to people with disabilities, keeping the WDR open with new funding would provide a barrier-free facility for years to come, helping people with disabilities in the long term. Wynne has also refused to renew the lease for the WDR, showing that her commitment to helping people with disabilities is nothing but empty lip service.

The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (LAO) are also to blame for being oblivious about the WDR. In a June 30, 2015 petition update, Johnson observed that the LAO did nothing to save the WDR, despite an impending summer recess at the time. Johnson also mentioned that the LAO had received several requests from him and his supporters to extend the deadline before the WDR is sold off, but their concerns have been ignored. The LAO deserves to be publicly shamed for brushing aside the needs of the disability community, and for showing such disinterest in saving the WDR.

David Shannon, Executive Director for the Handicapped Action Group Incorporated (HAGI), which runs the WDR, must face the harshest criticism for mismanagement. According to an April 4, 2015 update on Johnson's petition, it was revealed that Shannon wanted the WDR closed. In the same update, Johnson also noted that since the creation of his petition, Shannon did not comment on the future of the WDR at the time. In another April 29, 2015 petition update, Johnson recalled that Shannon, as well as HAGI's Board of Directors, failed to attend a public meeting held on April 25, 2015 to save the WDR.

The scandals involving David Shannon do not end there. An additional May 3, 2015 petition update disclosed that Shannon refused to sign Johnson's petition. Shannon has also made questionable claims about having no money to maintain the WDR, but somehow finding money to fund an arts program. With so much hypocrisy coming from Shannon regarding the WDR, it is obvious that he should be removed from his position as Executive Director.

It is sad to see that the people who have the most power to save the WDR are the least willing to take action on the issue. However, this situation must strengthen our resolve to ensure that the WDR remains a part of the Lake Shebandowan community. We must follow Kevin Johnson's lead and do whatever it takes to save the WDR. When Premier Kathleen Wynne, the LAO, and David Shannon see that people care about the WDR, they will have no choice but to act on the issue. Allowing the WDR to be shut down and failing people with disabilities is not a legacy we want to be responsible for.

Advocating for immigrant rights in Canada: An interview with Leila Heidari

Photo of Leila Heidari's mother, Khadijeh, a day after she had

taken a bad fall on June 4, 2013. (Credits: Leila Heidari/Make
it Right for Khadijeh Facebook page.)

For over 20 years, Leila Heidari has had to deal with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) denying permanent Canadian status to her 92-year-old mother, Khadijeh, who is also known as "Essie." After years of having her concerns ignored by CIC and local Members of Parliament (MPs), Leila Heidari launched a petition telling CIC to grant permanent Canadian status to Khadijeh. Here, Leila Heidari provides an update regarding Khadijeh's circumstances. At the time of this writing, Khadijeh still hasn't been granted permanent Canadian status.

 

1. What kind of a treatment facility was Khadijeh taken into in November 2013?

Leila Heidari (LH): Khadijeh is in a multi-care facility for the elderly. It has a nursing home, various hospitals and clinics, and a research centre. Khadijeh is being cared for at the research facility. She is being treated for a massive head injury that she developed after taking a bad fall in June 2013. She is also being treated for an ear infection that she developed in November 2013. Both the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and I cover the housing costs--the ODSP pays $1,000 a month, and I pay $250 a month. The treatment is covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).

2. What condition (related to Khadijeh's head injury) have they diagnosed her with?

LH: I think Khadijeh has dementia, but they don't know what she has. The treatment is ongoing. When they find out what's wrong with her, she will be sent to a nursing home.

3. How did the treatment facility finally allow your mother to get help?

LH: The ODSP suggested that I contact the facility to get help for Khadijeh. My mother was accepted in early October 2013. For the past 10 years, I have been in touch with ODSP. In spring 2012, ODSP cut health benefits. Before that, Khadijeh received partial health coverage from Interim Health in 1995 when she came to Ontario. The only time Khadijeh received full health coverage was from 1993--1995, when she first resided in Quebec, and she was covered through their provincial health care system.

4. What did you have to go through before finding the facility?

LH: We have been ignored by CIC and local MPs. A week after I had launched my petition, a woman from CIC contacted me, saying that she would like to meet me. A week later, she never shows up for our meeting. We were also turned away by various clinics before finding the facility that is currently providing care for her. I tried calling a clinic in Scarborough, but they were only open from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. My mother had a gash in her head which was bleeding, but I could not take her to emergency because she doesn't have permanent Canadian status.

In addition, Khadijeh only received temporary residency on June 21, 2013, and didn't start receiving OHIP until September 21, 2013. While I'm grateful that she is now receiving help, I'm upset that it's taken so long. It's not just about my family either--I'm worried about the people who are in a similar situation. What if someone doesn't have Canadian citizenship, and that person is alone with no access to social media and he or she develops a chronic disease? What is that person supposed to do?

5. How has this situation taken a toll on your family?

 

LH: We are struggling financially, emotionally, and every other way that you can think of. I'm worried about my mother, and I'm struggling to take care of my 19-year-old daughter who has severe autism. My daughter is in diapers and cannot speak, and she had to be hospitalized last year because of her autism--she was screaming all the time and banging her head against the wall. I could not see my daughter because I was trying to take care of my mother, so my husband had to look after our daughter. I could not work, because I was trying to look after my mother, which was very hard.

I would like to thank Leila Heidari for sharing her story, and for advocating for better treatment of immigrants in Canada.

Bell's "Let's Talk" mental health campaign is good, but more action needs to be taken

I commend the people working for Bell's "Let's Talk" mental health campaign who are bringing attention to the issue of mental health in a dignified way. It takes a lot of courage to share a story about mental illness, especially when there continues to be so much stigma attached to mental health issues in Canada. Overcoming the stigma by talking openly about mental illness and raising awareness are important steps in dealing with the issue of mental health--we cannot provide resources for mental health issues and treat them properly if we don't acknowledge the importance of mental health in the first place.

However, Bell's "Let's Talk" mental health campaign does not go far enough. It is not enough just to talk about mental health for one day--mental health awareness and activism should be encouraged every day of the year. If Bell really wants to be a leader in promoting better mental health, they should be supporting mental health initiatives all year round, not just one day. Bell is a large company with many resources--they have the power to change the way mental health issues are dealt with in Canada.

Another problem with Bell's "Let's Talk" mental health campaign is the fact that no real changes are happening at the political level to ensure that people who need to access mental health care actually get help. Kelly Bradley, a woman from British Columbia, is still struggling to get better mental health care in her province. Her adopted daughter with bipolar disorder was turned away from the hospital three times, despite being in a crisis. Kelly Bradley has set up a petition to advocate for better mental health care in British Columbia: http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/b-c-needs-to-provide-emergency-mental-health-services-for-children

Kelly Bradley isn't alone. Despite Bell's "Let's Talk" mental health campaign that has been running for the past few years, people suffering from mental illness are still falling through the cracks. On March 9, 2013, Toronto resident Christopher "Kit" Skelly killed himself, because he could no longer bear to live with schizophrenia. If appropriate mental health resources were already in place, Skelly's needless death could have been prevented. How many more tragedies similar to that of Christopher "Kit" Skelly need to happen before real change in Canada's mental health care system takes place?

As a society, we need to stand together and demand better from our mental health care system. Sign petitions that advocate for better mental health care. When politicians say there is not enough money to fund mental health care, force them to find the funding. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and should be treated as such. We would not tell someone with cancer or any other physical chronic disease to wait for treatment, yet why do we have a completely different attitude when it comes to mental health? If the mental health care system does not change, more people will continue to fall through the cracks.

Doctors and other professionals working in the mental health field also need to take the lead in this matter--when a patient is concerned about their mental health, take their concerns seriously. Listen to what your patient has to say, and treat the cause of the problem, not the symptoms. Psychiatrists who do nothing but over-medicate their patients without treating the cause of the problem also need to be held responsible for their unethical practices.

 

Above all, attitudes towards mental health must change. The next time you see someone who is upset in any way, whether he or she is suicidal or even just having a case of "the blues", listen to that person. Don't dismiss their concerns by saying "it's all in your head" or anything else along that line. Someone could look like he or she has it all on the outside, but on the inside, that person is facing real mental health issues. Reach out and help that person--we cannot afford to have more tragedies like that of Christopher "Kit" Skelly.

Fixing British Columbia's Mental Health Care Crisis: An Interview with Kelly Bradley

Kelly Bradley, right, stands next to her

husband, Owen Bradley, left. (Photo

reused with permission from Kelly

Bradley.)

*Name has been changed to protect identity.

Wait lists. Being told her adopted daughter was "physically OK" even though she was experiencing an obvious mental health crisis. These were the things that Kelly Bradley had to deal with while trying to get help for her 11-year-old adopted daughter, *Jeannette. Now, Kelly Bradley is advocating for changes to British Columbia's (B.C.'s) mental health care system. (British Columbia is a province in Canada.) 

Describe Jeannette's condition. What does she experience that makes her need intensive mental health care?

Kelly: Jeannette is living with Adolescent Bipolar disorder. She was having rapid cycling episodes, which in her case and many children with Bipolar, results in very violent behaviour that can last several hours. Moreover, she was self-harming by hitting her head (hard) into walls, windows, her hands, or with her hard toys. She wanted the "angry feelings to stop." We were seriously concerned she would fatally harm herself or seriously injure one of us (her parents).

Describe your experiences at the hospital when Jeannette was having a mental health crisis.

Kelly: The first time we sought emergency help in January, Jeannette was admitted so the hospital could rule out any "physical reasoning" for her rapid cycling. When the testing came back, it showed that her medication needed an overhaul, and that would need to be done at Ledger House, Victoria's only psychiatric assessment hospital that has 13 beds and, at the time, had a 3-4 week waiting list. We were told that the hospital was not set up for what Jeannette needed, and we would have to take her home to wait. They also said if she had another violent episode and we were concerned for her safety, that we could bring her back to the hospital. The hospital gave us a card with the crisis line, a prescription of Ativan, and a waiting list. 

20 hours after Jeannette's first discharge, we had to call 911 to get the police to help us take her back to the hospital, because she was too violent for us to safely take her. The police took Jeannette under the Mental Health Act and had to stay with her until she was seen by an ER doctor. They wouldn't allow me into the waiting area because she was too violent. I had to leave the hospital briefly to get my son from preschool, and received a phone call from the hospital social worker saying that Jeannette will be discharged because she was "physically OK." Both myself and Jeannette begged them to admit her because we were worried she would fatally harm herself, but again they said the hospital wasn't set up for kids like her. Again, they gave us a business card for the crisis line and told us to bring her back if she has another episode. 

Two days later, Jeannette had another very violent episode and again we called 911 to help us get her to the hospital. The police came and once again took her under the Mental Health Act and brought her to the hospital. I had to find a babysitter for my other kids, so I followed shortly after. By the time we reached the hospital, she was already discharged and waiting in the "safe room" for us to take her home. It should be noted that each time we took Jeannette to the hospital, we first called the crisis line and they themselves told us to take her after hearing her in the background.

You have been petitioning B.C.'s Minister of Health, Margaret MacDiarmid, to make changes to B.C.'s mental health care system. What changes would you like to see?

Kelly: I don't want any family to be abandoned like we were when Jeannette was in a crisis. When a child comes to the ER of any hospital with a mental health emergency, there needs to be appropriate, inpatient, emergency care and stabilization for kids in crisis. There needs to be access for the child and family to be assessed by a psychiatrist, not an ER doctor, and a plan that doesn't take weeks to implement. No child or youth in crisis should be told to wait. You wouldn't ask a child with a broken arm to wait weeks to have treatment, but why is it OK for a kid fighting to stay alive to wait?

You have posted a petition on Change.org asking for changes to B.C.'s mental health care system. How do you feel about the response you have been receiving?

Kelly: We are overwhelmed by the amount of support we have received from supporters on Change.org. It's also very hard for us to read all of the heartbreaking and similar stories other families have faced trying to access emergency help for their children across B.C.

What is your response to people who believe that mental health care is not an issue?

Kelly: Mental health affects everyone either directly or indirectly. People with mental health issues face stigma every day. Just because you can't physically see the pain and suffering, doesn't mean it's not as serious. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in children and youth. I do not want my child to be another tragedy and statistic.

I would like to thank Kelly Bradley for sharing her story, and for advocating for changes to B.C.'s mental health care system.

To sign Kelly Bradley's petition, please visit: http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/b-c-needs-to-provide-emergency-mental-health-services-for-children