The coroner unveils 63 recommendations to better prevent suicide

2023-06-15 03:11:36

The crown M^e Julie-Kim Godin tabled 63 recommendations on Wednesday in the report that closes the public inquiry into the theme of suicide, launched in December 2019. She says she is convinced that their implementation by the institutions concerned could prevent many deaths. preventable.

At a press conference at the headquarters of the Sûreté du Québec, in Montreal, Mr.^e Godin made a point of recalling that suicide is still an important public health issue. She pointed out that it is the eighth leading cause of death and that 1055 people had taken their own lives in 2020. A number that would have to be multiplied by 30 to estimate the number of suicide attempts each year.

In her report, coroner Godin underlines that “this vast public inquiry has made it possible to reinforce the need to act upstream”. She writes that great importance must be placed on “early detection of mental health disorders” as well as “substance use” disorders in order to prevent an escalation of problems.

Concomitant disorders, that is to say the presence of both mental health and substance use problems, must be treated as a whole by professionals who work in collaboration, pleads the coroner who wishes the end of silo interventions .

It also insists on the need to take seriously “all people likely to develop a suicidal risk or who present suicidal manifestations”. These people must have “immediate” access to the health services they need.

“We must intervene better and constantly keep in mind that there are no small or big dark ideas,” writes coroner Godin.

What emerges from the entire report entitled “FOR the protection of human LIFE” is a desire to strengthen the social safety net in order to better support people in distress. The coroner is trying to close the knots through better coordinated action, adding resources and strengthening the skills of the responders, whether police, medical or social.

Its dozens of recommendations are aimed at various government departments, police forces, health establishments, community organizations, several professional orders and the National Police Academy.

If she does not have the power to compel them to act, the coroner is still delighted with the new legislative provisions which oblige institutions to take cognizance of the report. They “must inform the Chief Coroner of the actions they will take to respond to the recommendations,” she said.

M^e In particular, Godin asks the Ministries of Public Security, Health and Justice to create an advisory committee responsible for reviewing the legal framework surrounding the sharing of confidential information or information protected by professional secrecy.

“It is necessary that relaxations be considered to better protect and prevent violent deaths, she answered a question from The Canadian Press. But these relaxations must always be made with respect for human rights and freedoms.

“As a society, we want to protect our loved ones, but we must also protect their rights,” she insisted, inviting the institutions to debate this issue.

For example, a specific approach in the event of a crisis situation could possibly allow better integration of loved ones in the intervention process. Important people in the entourage of the individual in distress could be kept informed of developments in his case.

In the same vein, the police services could perhaps, during sensitive interventions, benefit from certain medical or psychosocial information about the person concerned.

Mental health, the poor child

In another recommendation submitted jointly to Public Security and Health, it proposes to intensify efforts to deploy mixed intervention teams, including police and psychosocial workers, in all regions of Quebec.

It also calls on public authorities to provide “all required resources” to community organizations whose mission is to provide a safety net for people at risk.

“Let’s ensure that mental health is not the poor child of the health system and that the necessary investments are made to achieve this and address the shortage of manpower,” added the coroner in her report.

In a written reaction sent by the office of the Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, it is said to take note of the recommendations and that these will be “analyzed with meticulousness”.

“We have made access to mental health services a priority and we will continue to do so,” we promise.

This public inquiry was ordered by the Chief Coroner of Quebec, Ms.^e Pascale Descary, in September 2019. It officially began a few months later, in December, first under the chairmanship of coroner Andrée Kronström. M^e Godin took over in October 2021.

Five events involving six deaths, namely one homicide and five suicides, were analyzed by the coroner’s office during this process. These are the files of Mikhaël Ryan, Joceline Lamothe, Suzie Aubé, Jean-François Lussier, Marc Boudreau and Dave Murray.

More than 126 witnesses were heard during the hearings, including health professionals, representatives of prevention organizations and bereaved relatives.

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