New Brunswick is not ensuring timely access to addiction and mental health services, according to the province’s auditor general.
Paul Martin tabled a new report on Tuesday looking at the Department of Health’s responsibility when it comes to those services.
Martin found the department lacks mechanisms to ensure there is timely access to addiction and mental health services.
Over 32,000 people were referred for services in 2023-24, with more than 5,000 waiting for services as of April 12, he said.
“We found that no key performance indicators have been established for the expected wait times between referral and assessment,” said Martin.
“However, our testing showed 600 individuals waited more than 100 days to be assessed. And of those, 22 waited between 366 and 529 days.”
While the department has defined priority levels for those waiting for treatment after being assessed, Martin said they are often not being met.
In high priority cases, only 44 per cent of individuals received treatment within the 14-day target between 2022 and 2024. A total of 433 people waited more than 100 days, with one person waiting 627 days.
For clients classified as moderate priority, 69 per cent of people received treatment within the 56-day target during that same period, but 74 people waited between 366 and 688 days, said the report.
Martin also found that one-third of all referrals were closed without treatment. The most common reasons were the client did not attend, officials were unable to locate the client, or the client withdrew.
The Mental Health Services Advisory Committee, enacted by legislation, has not met since 2018, according to the auditor general’s report. It is supposed to meet four times a year.
Martin also found that the budget for addiction and mental health services is not based on current needs assessments and the department does not monitor how the budget is used within the regional health authorities.
“The findings underscore the need for the Department of Health to implement effective measures to ensure timely access to addiction and mental health services in New Brunswick,” said Martin. “Addressing these recommendations will be crucial to ensuring that New Brunswickers receive the timely and adequate mental health support they need.”
The auditor general made eight recommendations to the department, all of which the department has agreed with, he said.
