Alternative financial approach for households navigating mental health challenges
Headline: Quebec's Family Crisis Support Worker Program Dialogue Hits Roadblock
In a bid to provide better mental health support to families experiencing a crisis, the Carrefour en santé mentale pour les familles et l'entourage (CSMFE) introduced a pilot project in Quebec's Monteregie Region, featuring a family support worker during emergencies. The initiative, launched in the fall of 2023, achieved an impressive 95% reduction in forced hospitalizations. But just as the program was gathering steam, its funding was abruptly cut by the Quebec Health.
"Hearing families tell us they're left in the dark about their loved ones in crisis was heartbreaking," shares Danielle Bédard, the CSMFE's general director. "We have valuable information to share, but healthcare providers often don't take it into account."
Seeking a solution, Madame Bédard approached the Monteregie-Est Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) in 2019, requesting the addition of a crisis intervention worker dedicated to families. This worker, who joined the team in September 2023, was present with police and social workers during mental health crises to co-intervene and work with the family of the person in crisis.
The results of this initiative were striking. The number of forced hospitalizations under the Act to protect persons whose mental state presents a danger to themselves or others (Bill P-38) dropped significantly from 80 to 4 per year. "Forcing someone to be hospitalized often doesn't work," explains Madame Bédard. "But when families are informed, accompanied, and the intervention takes place in their environment, it's much easier to convince the person to accept help."
The total collapse of forced hospitalizations, however, was not meant to be. In a twist of events, the project's funding was unfortunately slashed by the Quebec Health last fall, leaving families with no crisis interveners since the end of March 2025.
"Despite the funding cut, we continue working to support families going through crisis situations," says Madame Bédard. According to her, hiring an intervener is cheaper for the state than multiple recourses to Law P-38, each involving the healthcare network and the judicial system.
The CISSS de la Monteregie-Est is currently locked in discussions with Santé Québec, but a resolution remains elusive. In the meantime, Madame Bédard stays hopeful, emphasizing the positive impact of this initiative on communication among healthcare providers, families, and patients.
Minister Lionel Carmant voiced his support for the initiative, acknowledging its effectiveness and expressing his commitment to continuing to encourage such projects throughout Quebec. Local stakeholders are optimistic that additional funding for the CSMFE project will be made available soon.
Riding the ups and downs of healthcare funding, Madame Bédard and her team continue their arduous journey towards providing better mental health support to families in crisis.
- The political decision to cut funding for Quebec's Family Crisis Support Worker Program, despite its significant success in reducing forced hospitalizations, has left families without crucial mental health support.
- The Carrefour en santé mentale pour les familles et l'entourage (CSMFE) is advocating for the importance of confidentiality in mental health care settings, as families often feel left in the dark during their loved ones' crises.
- In the absence of official funding, the CSMFE is working diligently to preserve their mental health and health-and-wellness initiatives, hoping to reduce the necessity for (Bill P-38) interventions in future.
- The science behind co-intervention for families experiencing mental-health crises has shown impressive results, with fewer forced hospitalizations when families are informed, accompanied, and the intervention takes place in their environment, which highlights the prescription for more comprehensive support in the future.
