The Quebec government has boasted that the number of people waiting for mental health services went down from 28,000 in 2019 to 16,000 in the early summer of 2020. Experts fear the pandemic's effects are exacerbating the already significant barriers to accessing mental health services in Quebec. Junior health minister addresses wait times for mental health help in Quebec CBC News Montreal Video 4:43 CBC Montreal's Debra Arbec speaks with the minister responsible for social services, Lionel Carmant, about the delay to get help for mental health issues. 4:43He defended the Legault government's decision to offer $100 per hour to private sector psychologists — more than the $60 rate public sector psychologists are paid — saying the private sector psychologists have to pay office fees. This story is part of a special CBC Quebec project Out of the Dark: Real Talk on Mental Health.

Source: CBC News January 27, 2021 09:00 UTC