WATERLOO REGION — Grand River Hospital has more than tripled its number of psychiatrists over a decade as it seeks to improve mental health care.

The increase has not prevented a surge in local suicides. This region also has a high rate of self-harm that puts local residents in hospital.

But hospital personnel see progress among other mental health patients who they say are rarely readmitted. And they say openly debating mental health is helpful.

"We're not unhappy that there's awareness, and increasing questions about what is happening," said Andrew Palmer, a veteran nurse, who directs a mental health and addictions program and had a relative die by suicide. "We've done the absolute best that we can."

It's only recently that people have talked openly about suicide, Dr. Peter Kuhnert said.

That signals reduced stigma and it promotes coalitions that lead to change, he said.

"I think that's healthy," said Kuhnert, who is part of a mental health program for adults with severe, persistent mental illness.

More after the graphic

In its bid to improve care, Grand River Hospital is reaching out to family doctors, to better educate them about treating mental illness, and to make them better aware of hospital services.

Outreach includes the Day in Psychiatry conference Wednesday at the Waterloo Inn. It features six psychiatrists talking to family doctors about issues such as depression among new mothers, alcohol and drug abuse, personality disorders, mind-altering drugs for the elderly, and anxiety in children.

"We're thinking long-term," Palmer said. "We're not looking to solve this problem in a day."

Grand River Hospital treats emergency and long-term mental health patients. Today it has 25 psychiatrists, up from seven in 2005.

The increase is in line with new community resources targeting mental health (including enhanced support for 24/7 distress services), for addicts, for people who have attempted suicide, and for police responding to mental health calls.

Despite extra supports, the local rate of suicide has soared 27 per cent since 2008, surging past the Ontario rate in 2011 and staying above it. Ontario's chief coroner says 54 residents died by suicide last year.

Since 2010 the rate of residents harming themselves badly enough to be hospitalized has been 55 per cent higher than the Ontario rate. There were 532 local residents hospitalized for self-harm last year.

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