COVID-19: Two-thirds of B.C. youth struggling with mental health during the pandemic, new research shows New research by B.C. Children s Hospital shows two-thirds of children in B.C. reported having mood swings, anxiety or suicidal thoughts during the pandemic, up from just one-third before the arrival of COVID-19.
Author of the article: Lori Culbert
Publishing date: Apr 24, 2021 • 3 hours ago • 8 minute read Lana is struggling with her mental health since the pandemic began. She s shown here with her mom Susan. Photo by Francis Georgian /PNG
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Two thirds of children and youth in British Columbia are struggling with mild-to-moderate mental health challenges during the pandemic, up from one third before the arrival of COVID-19, says new research from B.C. Children’s Hospital.
Enhancements over three years include $748 million to expand urgent and primary care centres of which there are 23 so far and reduce surgery wait times made worse by the pandemic, as well as diagnostic services, and $585 million to hire about 3,000 new care aides. That’s a “really significant” and necessary investment, said Mike Old, interim secretary-business manager for the Hospital Employees’ Union, which represents about 50,000 health workers, including more than 15,000 care aides. Christine Sorensen, president of the B.C. Nurses’ Union, was disappointed with the budget, however, saying the pandemic has shown there’s a nursing shortage, with a significant deficit of critical-care nurses at a time of record-high admissions to intensive-care units.
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The provincial budget promises $500 million in new spending over three years to help people struggling with mental health problems during the pandemic and those battling addictions during the overdose crisis, calling it the largest spending of its kind in B.C. history.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of mental health, including the challenges faced by youth, as well as the damaging impacts of the ongoing overdose crisis,” the budget says.
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