Manitoba is on the verge of having a new plan to combat youth suicides, Healthy Living Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross said Monday.
"We are on the cusp of one of the most comprehensive suicide prevention strategies in the country," said Irvin-Ross. "It will be released this fall."
She made the promise Monday as her government was under fire for the issue of youth suicide in the northern reserve of Shamattawa.
Last week, mental-health workers in Shamattawa went public begging for help, saying the number of kids committing or attempting suicide is soaring. Since January, 37 children attempted suicide, including four in just one weekend. One of those kids was only nine years old. Another 52 kids have threatened to end their lives.
The opposition went on the offensive about Shamattawa's problem during question period Monday, particularly because it had pledged to address the problem in that community six years ago.
Irvin-Ross told the Free Press help is coming. She said the strategy will be developed over the summer and will focus on suicide as a symptom of depression, addictions and lack of hope.
She released the information in part to deflect criticism her government had made only a cursory attempt to fufil a recommendation on child suicide by the Children's Advocate. As part of her review of children who die in foster care, Billie Schibler told the province in 2006 she wanted a multi-departmental look at youth suicide in Manitoba over the past five years. But the province instead produced a report summarizing all the previous reports, saying enough study had been done.
Tory family services critic Stu Briese said that is not good enough, especially when the youth suicide problem is still so horrific.
mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
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