A psychotherapist based in Guelph has initiated a petition urging the province to include long-term supportive psychotherapy under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). Marinela Trickett, the clinical director of Trickett Psychotherapy, highlighted the high demand for such services, emphasizing that many individuals face challenges accessing long-term support until they reach a crisis point, often resorting to hospitals or emergency rooms where their needs may not be adequately addressed.
Presently, OHIP covers psychotherapy only when administered by a medical doctor or a psychiatrist who is a medical doctor, leaving out private practices with registered psychotherapists and individuals without workplace benefits coverage. The out-of-pocket cost for a psychotherapy session can surpass $100, with the average session ranging between $150 to $180.
Teaming up with Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner, leader of Ontario’s Green Party, Trickett intends to present a petition at Queen’s Park in November urging the province to recognize psychotherapy as medically necessary, expand insurance coverage for psychotherapy from qualified professionals, and establish a Provincial Mental Health Coverage Framework for fair access, aiming to secure 5,000 signatures.
In response to inquiries about why private practice psychotherapy isn’t OHIP-funded, Ontario’s minister of health mentioned the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy program (OSP), offering free cognitive behavioral therapy for adults aged 18 and above. The province is also investing $3.8 billion over a decade through the Roadmap to Wellness to enhance mental health and addiction services, including the establishment of 32 new Youth Wellness Hubs and expansion of crisis response and addiction medicine services.
However, Trickett pointed out limitations in the OSP program, which only covers individuals with specific severity of anxiety and depression and restricts the number of sessions provided. She emphasized that mental health struggles extend beyond anxiety and depression, citing a report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicating that a significant portion of Canadians with diagnosed mental health conditions had unmet needs, underscoring the importance of addressing broader mental health concerns in Ontario.
