Campaign seeks to raise awareness about issues involving the Canadian justice system
When we think of October, there are a great number of things that may come to mind. Leaf piles, thick knit sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes, and publicly observed holidays like Thanksgiving or Halloween are all things that are often associated with the autumnal month. Something that is not immediately thought of, however, is mental health and the disorders that can make achieving a balanced sense of mental wellbeing difficult.
In Canada, the month of October is noted as being Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Awareness Month. From the first to the last day, Canadians are encouraged to raise and spread awareness for ADHD in order to decrease and hopefully one day put an end to the stigma and discrimination that is connected to the disorder. The month-long campaign is organized by the Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada (CADDAC)—a charitable umbrella organization that provides leadership across Canada for the education and advocacy of associations and individuals concerned with ADHD.
“…individuals diagnosed with ADHD should not necessarily be seen as being predisposed to criminal deviance…”
Each year, a new theme is introduced as the focus of ADHD Awareness Month. The educational campaign for 2016, titled “ADHD in the Canadian Justice System,” hopes to draw attention to the negligible manner that Canada’s justice system has treated psychiatric disorders like ADHD. Although individuals diagnosed with ADHD should not necessarily be seen as being predisposed to criminal deviance, a news release published to the CADDAC website reports, to date, “Incident rates of ADHD in the correctional population are five times greater than what we see in the community, and 10 times greater for youth.”
The news release continued to explain that, “Little [has] been done to introduce assessment and treatment protocols within justice and correctional systems across Canada […] even though research and on site experience has shown there are significant benefits to doing so.” The CADDAC also noted that, although the 2016 awareness campaign’s theme, “May make some in the ADHD community uncomfortable,” it is important that a better understanding of the issue is achieved so that proper solutions can be brought about.
“…approximately five to 12 per cent of school-aged children are affected by the disorder…”
According to the Canadian Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Resource Alliance (CADDRA)—an independent non-profit association composed of health care professionals across Canada who provide support to individuals diagnosed with ADHD and their families—the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children is ADHD. Reportedly, approximately five to 12 per cent of school-aged children are affected by the disorder, and an estimated three to four per cent of females and roughly eight to 10 per cent of males under the age of 18 have been diagnosed with ADHD.
The CADDAC capitulates that effectively detecting ADHD early on could possibly alter a young person’s possible “trajectory into offending.” The additional administration of treatment, where appropriate, would see a “reduction in criminal behaviour, improved behaviour while incarcerated and [the] improved overall rehabilitation of inmates [which] will increase their, and their family’s quality of life, reduce costs to the justice system, benefit the communities they return to, and Canadian society in general.”
The official websites of the CADDAC, the CADDRA, and the Canadian Mental Health Association serve as invaluable fount resources. They can also provide supplementary information in relation to ADHD diagnosis and management, as well as support for those concerned with mental health and wellbeing.
Photo courtesy (cc-by-sa-2-0) amenclinicsphotosac.