Ontario government to join external review of CAMH amid recent disappearances

Ctvnews.ca
August 7, 2019
Colin D’Mello

The provincial government is joining the review of patient privileges at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) amid a string of disappearances from the facility.

Health Minster Christine Elliott announced the Progressive Conservative government will “participate directly” in the review -- examining everything from the hospital’s procedures for issuing passes to patient privileges.

“The recommendations from this review will provide expert advice on how to improve hospital protocols and will protect patients and the community,” Elliott said in a statement.

The external review was triggered in July after at least two patients residing there disappeared -- the most high-profile case was that of Zhebin Cong, 47, who left the facility on July 3 and boarded an international flight two weeks later.

Cong was previously charged in connection with a fatal stabbing that took place in 2014, but was found not criminally responsible. In May of the same year, the Ontario Review Board decided Cong would reside at CAMH with “privileges extending to living in the community in approved 24-hour supervised accommodation.”

The board concluded that Cong posed a “significant threat to the safety of the public.”

Cong’s case led to outrage from members of the Queen and Ossington community, where CAMH is located, and among politicians who called for action.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was “disgusted” by the developments and questioned how a “nutcase” was able to leave the facility and the country.

“They say this guy is low-risk and he chopped up his roommate with a meat cleaver like what are people thinking? Between the Toronto Police Service, the Ontario Review Board and CAMH, someone is going to be answering because if they are calling this low-risk then what is high-risk?” Ford told NewsTalk1010 on July 18.

“There are certain things that are a no-brainer. I could ask a 10-year-old kid should you let this guy loose on the street after he chopped up his roommate and a 10-year-old kid would say ‘absolutely not.’”

CAMH says the external review will include international experts who will review incidents “over the past several months” and provide concrete recommendations for the organization. The province will appoint a government advisor to sit on the panel.

But CAMH President and CEO Catherine Zahn cautioned in a statement issued on July 24 that there is a “fine balance” between its duty to protect the public and providing mental health treatment with the “ultimate goal” of integrating people back into the community.