RIPPLE - Supporting Mental Health and Healing

**RIPPLE COMMENT** According to Montreal Gazette (recognized source), an opinion piece titled "Family caregivers cannot do it on their own" emphasizes the need for systemic support for individuals accompanying loved ones with mental health disorders. The article's central argument is that family caregivers, who are already providing significant emotional and practical support, cannot continue to bear the burden alone. This situation creates a direct cause → effect relationship, where the lack of adequate system support leads to caregiver burnout and decreased ability to provide quality care. Intermediate steps in this chain include: * The increased stress and emotional toll on caregivers, leading to reduced capacity for caregiving (short-term effect) * Potential long-term consequences such as caregiver exhaustion, strained family relationships, and compromised mental health outcomes for both the caregiver and their loved one The domains affected by this issue are primarily related to child welfare and foster care, specifically: * Child and Family Services * Mental Health Services * Social Support Systems Evidence type: Opinion piece (expert opinion) Uncertainty: This situation could lead to improved system support if policymakers prioritize addressing the needs of family caregivers. However, it is uncertain whether the current government commitments will be sufficient to address this issue. **