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The Manitoba government says it has hired 17 new psychiatrists this year in an effort to expand mental health care across the province.
“Today is a great day for mental health care here in Manitoba,” said Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara, standing alongside many members of the NDP cabinet outside the Selkirk Mental Health Centre on Friday.
“This is about helping more Manitobans get the specialized care that they need, and also building more capacity in mental health care across our great province.”
Of the 17 newly hired psychiatrists, 14 will primarily work in Winnipeg, and three will be based out of the Selkirk Mental Health Centre, a news release said.
These additions are meant to increase capacity and treat more patients, and to strengthen psychiatric care, which in turn will reduce pressure on emergency departments, the release said.
In 2024, the province announced a $2-million increase in operational funding that would support nine new psychiatry positions in Winnipeg and Selkirk.
“Whatever mental health care looks like for you and your family, your journey is going to be supported by these 17 net new psychiatrists,” Premier Wab Kinew said Friday.
Many of the psychiatrists hired this year trained in the province, where residency opportunities have taken them throughout many different communities, the release said.
One of them is Kylee Lewis, who says the training experience she gained was pivotal in her decision to stay in Manitoba.
“There’s something very meaningful about being able to give back to the health-care community that helped train you,” Lewis said.
Seeing people such as Lewis decide to stay and work in the province is encouraging, the province’s housing, addictions and homelessness minister said.
“This is super-important because usually psychiatrists train here, they go into private practice, or they leave our province,” Bernadette Smith said. “So, these folks are choosing to stay here in our province and support Manitobans.”
As the cabinet minister who oversees mental health, Smith says there’s no “one size fits all” solution to addressing mental health care across the province. However, she says having access to mental health professionals is critical to getting people who are struggling on a path to wellness.
“Addictions is a complex issue. And we know that many people are struggling, and there’s many root causes to addictions, and having access to mental health care professionals is essential,” she said.
“Giving Manitobans access to medically led care is essential in helping them to get on to a path of recovery.”
Smith says the impact of having these new psychiatrists will trickle throughout society, including helping to reduce chronic homelessness and improve provincial health care in a number of ways.
“These new psychiatrists will help us respond earlier when people need care, they will help improve after-care, and they will help reduce the burden and pressure on our emergency departments,” Smith said.