There are growing issues a few rising $2 billion wage hole in Ontario’s group well being care sector.
The just lately launched #ForUsForYou Marketing campaign highlights the pay discrepancy between psychological well being workers in organizations like St. Clair Baby & Youth Providers, and their friends doing related work in locations like hospitals and faculties.
Govt Director Craig McKenzie stated the workers in main care, psychological well being and addictions organizations, dwelling and group care, and long-term care, cannot afford to remain within the sector.
He stated that is inflicting unprecedented staffing shortages, impacting the care Ontarians depend on, including the company is struggling to retain staff.
“That is having an influence on our capacity to offer the standard and well timed providers that youngsters and households in our group want and deserve,” stated McKenzie.
McKenzie stated it is a urgent difficulty.
“Of us with the identical stage of schooling are expertise are discovering work elsewhere for sometimes 15 to twenty per cent extra,” he stated. “We at present have three vacancies within the company that we’re struggling to fill. Notably, the problem for us is in social work, psychotherapist positions in addition to psychologists and psychological associates.”
McKenzie stated wait occasions for evaluation, counselling and remedy proceed to extend, and there is a want for motion.
“For these kids and youth who want entry to psychological assessments, regionally some have needed to wait upwards of a yr,” stated McKenzie. “For a few of our specialised counselling and remedy providers regionally, we see waits of 4 to 6 months. If we had the workers to do higher, then we’d do higher. The staff now we have has executed an exquisite job to do one of the best they’ll with what they’ve. However, at this level we’re calling for motion.”
McKenzie realizes there is not any fast repair to the issue.
“Provincially, we’re a $500 million funding over the subsequent 5 years to actually shut this wage hole,” he stated. “In addition to addressing Invoice 124. A lot of our workers skilled, popping out of the pandemic, no wage enhance. So, that is had an influence.”
Invoice 124 limits public sector staff’ compensation will increase to a most of 1 per cent a yr for 3 years—together with for unionized staff as their contracts expire.
The #ForUsForYou Marketing campaign is a joint effort between ten provincial associations representing over 200,000 group staff.
They embody:
– Addictions and Psychological Well being Ontario
– AdvantAge Ontario
– Alliance for More healthy Communities
– Affiliation of Household Well being Groups of Ontario
– Canadian Psychological Well being Affiliation Ontario
– Youngsters’s Psychological Well being Ontario
– Household Service Ontario
– Indigenous Main Well being Care Council
– Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Affiliation
– Ontario Group Help Affiliation
