Amid the wave of budget cuts in the healthcare network, an entire team dedicated to supporting young people with mental health disorders in Vaudreuil-Soulanges will be dismantled as of March 22. This decision has been strongly denounced by the Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS), which is concerned about the repercussions for young people and their families.

Composed of fewer than ten employees, this specialized team assisted about one hundred youth aged 6 to 17 each year, all classified as priority 1 or 2—meaning they had attempted suicide or were at risk of doing so.

Working closely with the Montreal Children's Hospital and CHU Sainte-Justine, the social workers in this team played a key role in post-hospitalization care and hospitalization prevention.

An essential service eliminated
According to Isabelle Bessette, APTS National Representative for Montérégie-Ouest, this cut is part of a series of reductions that began last December.

“The CISSSMO made its first round of cuts before the holidays, and now a second wave is hitting. In total, around 80 positions will be eliminated, including vacant positions, occupied positions, and replacement roles,” she explained.

Families left to fend for themselves
The APTS is alarmed by the direct consequences on young people and their families.

“Who will help these young people?” asks Isabelle Bessette. “These cuts affect not only our members but also families directly. We have parents calling us in tears, knowing they will no longer receive support and will now have to deal with endless waitlists.”

Data from the Santé Québec Dashboard confirms these concerns: as of December 14, 2024, 161 youth were awaiting frontline services from the CISSSMO, including 59 classified as overdue cases.

A cost-cutting decision with severe rrepercussions
The APTS acknowledges that these cuts stem from a directive by Santé Québec, which is imposing a return to budget balance. However, the union believes this purely financial approach will have devastating long-term effects.

“They want to cut costs to fix the financial situation of the healthcare system, but in reality, this only postpones the problem. This decision will lead to new crises, create additional costs, and multiply collateral damage. We need to break the cycle of austerity and privatization,” insists Isabelle Bessette.

A glimmer of hope for workers
Although the impact of this new cut on families is a major concern for Bessette, she is also worried about her members—but still holds onto hope.

“What people need to understand is that our members, whose positions have been cut, will enter a chain of reassignment, which inevitably causes anxiety and fear. This is an extremely serious situation. Our members are calling us in tears. By bringing this issue to the media, we hope that Santé Québec will reverse its decision,” concludes Isabelle Bessette.