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Bill 32, Black Mental Health Day Act, 2022

Karpoche, Bhutila

Andrew, Jill

Lindo, Laura Mae

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Original

Bill 32 Original (PDF)

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

The

Bill proclaims the first Monday in March in each year as Black Mental Health

Day.

The

Anti-Racism Act, 2017 is amended to require the

Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Long-Term Care, Ontario Health and any

person receiving funding from the Government of Ontario to provide health care

services to take all reasonable steps to ensure that information relating to

the race of patients in Ontario is collected.

The

Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Act is

amended. Currently, the Act lists the functions, duties and powers of the

Minister. The Bill amends the list by adding the duty to ensure that health

services are provided in a culturally appropriate manner.

Bill 32 2022

Act to proclaim Black Mental Health Day and to raise awareness of related

issues

Preamble

Anti-Black

racism persists in the Province of Ontario and in provincial government systems

and services today. It results in inequitable treatment and unequal outcomes

for Black Ontarians across all sectors, including the education, justice,

employment, housing and child welfare sectors.

Racial

inequalities, anti-Black racism, discrimination and the lasting effects of

trauma have negative impacts on the mental health and physical well-being of

Black Ontarians. The lack of concrete action to address anti-Black racism in

public services like healthcare and education, and in the area of housing

services, only increases the toll of anti-Black racism on Black Ontarians’ mental

health, regardless of income, education, or employment status.

proclaiming the first Monday in March in each year as Black Mental Health Day

in Ontario, the provincial government can show Black Ontarians that it

recognizes the ongoing impact on mental health that results from staying silent

on issues of anti-Black racism in public services. Black Mental Health Day will

also raise awareness of the specific mental health needs of Black communities

across Ontario.

Currently,

there is no co-ordinated approach or requirement for the collection of

race-based healthcare data, despite evidence of racial inequities in health

outcomes in Ontario and calls, from the community and health care providers,

for the province to collect such data to inform evidence-based policymaking and

service provision.

Attempts

to respond to the mental health needs of Black Ontarians have often failed to

recognize the diversity that exists within Black communities, highlighting the

importance of providing culturally appropriate services that respond to this

diversity.

Far

too often the health needs of Black individuals are left unaddressed by our

healthcare system. Black Ontarians are faced with enduring race-based

stereotypes that result in the denial of proper medical assessments, increased

rates of misdiagnosis, under-treatment and failure to diagnose. The effects of

anti-Black racism can result in mental health conditions or aggravate those

conditions, including conditions such as depression and anxiety. Mental health

issues have been found to increase both risk of physical illness and harm from

physical illness that Black communities already experience at higher rates.

There

is a need to deliver mental health services using anti-oppression frameworks

that recognize the long-standing and enduring impact of anti-Black racism on

Black Ontarians. Taking this important step will lead healthcare professionals

to work collectively to ensure that Black Ontarians can access pathways to

allow them to live healthy lives.

Therefore,

His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of

the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Black

Mental Health Day

The

first Monday in March in each year is proclaimed as Black Mental Health Day.

Anti-Racism

Act, 2017

(1) Subsection 6 (7) of the Anti-Racism Act,

2017 is repealed.

(2) The

Act is amended by adding the following section:

Mandatory

collection in the health sector

6.1

(1) The

Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Long-Term Care, Ontario Health and any

person who receives funding from the Government of Ontario to provide health

care services shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that information

relating to the race of patients in Ontario is collected.

Same

(2) Unless

already provided for in the data standards and the regulations made under

subsection 6 (5), the data standards are deemed to list any personal

information necessary for the purposes of subsection (1) and the regulations

are deemed to require the collection of such personal information.

Ministry

of Health and Long-Term Care Act

Subsection 6 (1) of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term

Care Act is amended by adding the following paragraph:

2.1 To

ensure that health services are provided in a culturally appropriate manner.

Commencement

This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short

title

The

short title of this Act is the Black Mental Health Day Act, 2022 .

Date Bill stage Event Outcome Committee

November 3, 2022

First Reading

Ordered for Second Reading

November 3, 2022

First Reading

Vote

Carried

First Reading

November 3, 2022

Carried