Mr. Paul
Murphy
paul_murphy747@hotmail.com
Dear Mr. Murphy:
Thank you for your email regarding work-related
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Please also know that I am sorry to hear
about your experiences. I appreciate that you are coming forward with your
personal experiences, and understand that speaking out is part of breaking the
social stigma around mental health. I value the time you have taken to write
about these critical matters.
Be assured that our government is paying attention
to this crucial subject. We recognize that traumatic mental stress, including
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is a significant risk to the health and
well-being of people working in certain occupations, and who regularly face, or
are affected by, traumatic situations.
As noted by a former Minister of Labour in previous
correspondence to you, the government initiated a Roundtable on Traumatic
Mental Stress to discuss how to promote awareness and share best practices
across sectors concerning work-related traumatic mental stress. The roundtable
was launched in 2012. It brought together representatives from sectors where
individuals may, as a result of their job, be at risk of developing traumatic
mental stress injuries such as PTSD: policing, nursing, fire services,
emergency medical services and transit services.
The government plans to follow up on a proposed
action resulting from the roundtable discussions: the Ministry of Labour will
host a summit in March 2015 on work-related traumatic mental stress. It will
bring together representatives from a wide range of sectors to share
experiences and best practices, and to learn from innovators in the field.
In addition, Premier Wynne’s mandate letter to me
this September stated that one of my priorities is “engaging with companies
that have introduced strong workplace mental health programs for their
employees to draw upon their experience. Your goal is to work with employers to
expand employer-provided services available to Ontario workers.” The Premier’s
comprehensive letter is online at www.ontario.ca/government/2014-mandate-letter-labour.
You may know that Bill 2, the proposed Workplace
Safety and Insurance Amendment Act (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), 2014 was
carried at First Reading in the legislature on July 7, 2014. The bill, if
passed, would provide that, when an emergency response worker suffers from
PTSD, the PTSD would be presumed to be an occupational disease that occurs due
to the nature of the worker’s employment as an emergency response worker,
unless the contrary is shown. I am committed to taking a serious look at this
bill.
Our government recognizes that individuals who are
at serious risk of mental health difficulties — some of the most vulnerable
members of our society — include people who have experienced trauma. In 2010, I
was pleased to have the opportunity to chair Ontario’s Select Committee on
Mental Health and Addictions. The committee’s work led to the creation of our
government’s comprehensive mental health and addictions strategy, Open
Minds, Healthy Minds. This strategy recognizes the importance of integrated
mental health and addiction services to address the needs of Ontarians at all
stages of life. It will create a more coordinated and patient-centred mental
health system, reducing stigma and delivering more high-quality, timely
supports.
In addition, this past summer our government
committed to increasing investment in our mental health and addictions
strategy. We committed to increasing funding by $220
million over three years, investing in community supports, early intervention,
and help for families and individuals in the system.
Thank you again for writing.
Sincerely,
[Original signed by]
Kevin Flynn
Minister of Labour
