An overview of Canada's mental health system.

In summary, the Canadian health system is an outstanding success, as far as its consumers are concerned. Increasing costs are generally considered to be grounded in factors that could be, and are being, remedied. Health insurance also works very well for that segment of the mental health system that requires intervention by psychiatrists in office or general hospital practice. Unfortunately, certain decisions that were made during the development of the health insurance system have created obstacles to the provision of adequate services to the chronically mentally ill. However, these systemic ailments, which are now being addressed in most provinces, do not seem to have been fatal.