Protestors bring attention to mental health, drug issues in Hamilton

A group of protestors walked through downtown Hamilton today to bring attention to the number of people dying of mental health and drug issues in the city.

The group says the health and social services systems are failing vulnerable people in the community. Such as Barry Dickenson, who was 41 when he died in April this year in a mental health crisis.

His mother Patricia said Dickenson was in hospital after a suicide attempt, but was released despite an order for him to be held, and fell to his death from her balcony.

“It tears me apart every day,” Patricia said.

Barrie’s sister, Isobel Jackson, said he should not have been released from hospital that night.

“He should have been made to stay there and get the help that was needed. Whether detox or get mental health treatment, he slipped through the cracks,” Jackson said.

And Dickenson’s case is not an isolated example. This kind of thing is happening again and again.

Jennifer Bonner of The Hub said their social service centre has a list of 30 people who’ve died of drug and mental health issues in the past year.

“And now we have the perfect storm, we have a medical system that is overtaxed. We have a social services system that is overtaxed. We have a housing crisis and we have a drug poisoning crisis. And we expect people to get well on their own,” Bonner said.

She said the federal and provincial governments have to come up with the money to help.

While protesting today, the group also brought food to the homeless at city hall.

“They’re all here for a reason and they matter. And they’re human beings,” Jackson said.

She said everyone deserves to be treated like a person, and the health and social services system has to support people like her brother, Barry Dickenson.