The Kingston Whig-Standard has written a long article about the growing number of clients and staff expressing serious concern about cuts and layoffs at Addiction and Mental Health Services – Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (AMHS-KFLA).
“I just fear for the people who are unable to self-advocate, unable to reach out and try to access services or manage as best they can with their mental health,” the Whig-Standard quotes a women struggling with mental illness.
“Sadly those people will suffer, and unfortunately I think a great number of people may not do so well, and may take their lives.”
The Whig-Standard reports that the temporary supervisor at AMHS — Karen Berti — is telling clients and staff that “consultations” about the cuts are still underway. And yet, more than 60 OPSEU members working at AMHS are facing layoff.
The Whig-Standard quotes a former AMHS pyschotherapist who questions Berti’s claims about consultations.
“I’m curious to know why such big changes have been made already, with people being let go and programs being closed down, if consultation has not been completed yet,” the psychotherapist told the Whig-Standard. “
Should consultation not be put in place long before such big decisions are being made? Especially when these decisions have already affected so many people, drastically.”