Helpless Need Protection

The Ottawa area coroner’s office have announced they will be conducting inquests into three suicides that have occurred over the past year at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Center.

While the coroner’s inquest into the province’s handling of inmates with serious mental illness will hopefully provide some answers for the affected families, one of the final recommendations can probably be written now and that is we need to increase our proficiency in looking after those struggling with these illnesses. An adequately staffed human resource component that have the proper training and experience to handle this type of health issue may have been less of a priority for far too long.

Whether they are children in daycare facilities, the frail in long-term care homes or those with mental illnesses, we must do more to protect the vulnerable segment of our population. Just as some groups vigorously promote the protection of our environment and wildlife, those that can’t speak for themselves also need passionate advocates.

Although the coroner’s report may likely confirm the need to do more to address the current issues, the public will have to ensure the report does not follow the path as many other reports which are often doomed to a filing cabinet.