Napanee Today is reporting on the group of local residents fighting alongside OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas and OPSEU members at Addiction and Mental Health Services – Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington to save the agency’s services.
“We’re trying to fight hard to stop the loss of addictions and mental health services in our rural community which we already feel is underserved,” said rally organizer Krista Lee Woodcock.
“If we lose this treatment, we’re going to see an increase in violence in families, and increase in homelessness, in addiction, trips to the emergency room, suicide, people being forced to take time off work to deal with mental illness,” said Woodcock. “And the great loss is the loss of human potential.”
Thomas called on the agency’s temporary supervisor to listen to clients and the community before going through with program cuts and layoffs.
“We want these changes put on hold before they lose any more programs, any more workers,” said Thomas. “What we want is real, meaningful consultations.”