Mental health problems are the most common reasons for people missing work. Mental illness costs $13 billion a year to Toronto’s local economy and people with mental health problems are more likely to live in poverty than others.
The Black experience project showed that the Black population is one of the most stressed in the GTA. In addition, parts of the black community have a 60 per cent increase in serious mental health problems such as psychosis.
The reasons for the increased risk of mental and physical problems lie in the social determinants of health. The Mental Health Commission of Canada reported that African and Caribbean Canadians were more exposed to factors that are linked to poorer mental health for everyone such as poorer education and housing, unemployment, poverty, and criminalization.
Black communities have long faced barriers to mental health care. Carelinks organization is working to change the situation.
