A Journey Through a Family Mental Health Crisis: Lillian’s Story

Why our community needs the York Region Mental Health Community Care Centre (The Centre)

“I had just left the hospital with my son in the early 2000s after his first psychosis episode. Looking back, I have an image of myself on that day, standing alone in a dark, empty parking lot having no idea where to go next.”

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A Quiet Family Struggle

Lillian* raised her children alone, carrying the weight of motherhood and a quiet inner struggle. In the early 90s, she was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, closely tied to her postpartum experiences and struggle with alcoholism. Each day felt like a battle, further punctuated by the stigmatized nature of her diagnoses. When the weight of it all threatened to crush her, Lillian turned to hospital emergency departments. The sterile white walls and chaos of others in crisis did little to provide a comforting atmosphere, but at least she was seen. It was the only place to go to get the help she needed.  

While grappling with her own struggle for mental well-being, Lillian’s world was further shaken when her eldest son began showing signs of psychosis. The familiar rhythms of life were replaced by a series of traumatic emergency department visits—this time, for her son. The familiar rush of the hospital, where time seemed to slow down and speed up simultaneously, greeted her again. In this season, Lillian found herself torn between her role as a caregiver and the vulnerability of her own recovery. Piecing herself back together now included the new challenges embedded in being a caregiver for someone else with a mental illness.  

She recalls, “One of the times that my son went to the emergency department, he was put in a mental health room. On the gurney, there were leather restraints. He interpreted that as a threat.” Eventually, Lillian made the difficult choice that continually admitting her son to the hospital room was unhelpful. While the emergency departments provided excellent care for those facing emergency and acute situations, her son was traumatized by his treatment. The leather restraints only served as a reflection of his inner struggle, the very thing he was seeking to break free from. Leaving the hospital, she stood alone in the dark overcrowded parking lot – her family doctor was away, and she had no clue where to turn next.  

Why Community Mental Health Matters

Navigating the mental health landscape over thirty years ago was no easy feat. But, a few years into their journey, Lillian found a reprieve in community mental health. Her son became one of the first clients in the newly established Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) program at CMHA York Region South Simcoe. Her son did not step foot into another emergency department for more than five years. Community mental health care changed their family life.  

The program, and her personal experiences with mental health, changed the course of Lillian’s career and she started in a new role as a Peer Support Specialist at CMHA YRSS. As Lillian supported clients through their mental health journeys, she began to notice patterns emerging that mirrored those within her own family. As her clients were navigating services, they reiterated that they did not want to go to the hospital. Hearing their stories of uncomfortable and even traumatic emergency department visits made Lillian feel less alone.  

Now more than 15 years into her career in the mental health sector in York Region, Lillian observes that “there is a lot more support and knowledge, but there is also more need for support in our community. That’s why I’m excited about the development of The Centre. It’s the next step in mental health care.”  

How The Centre Will Serve the Community

The Centre will be a strong link and bond with other community agencies and hospitals – and that’s what excites Lillian the most. Bringing everything together under one roof that will be open 24/7, with the option for peer support, will make The Centre a place that people in the community will want to access.

While stigma and waitlists still exist, and people will still experience mental health crisis, the fact that people know there is a sanctuary for them will make all the difference.  

“I believe that if a place like The Centre existed when my son first experienced his mental health crisis, it would have offered a safe space for him to go,” Lillian reflects. “My son continues to live in York Region today, and I am so fortunate that I will have this place in my caregiver toolbox for him. For him, and for my clients, I will simply be able to say, ‘you can access The Centre at any time.’ That fact is so comforting.”  

*Name changed for privacy purposes  

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