As written in The Conversation by Michael Baker and Nancy Hansen, Professor, Faculty of Education.
Canada’s federal government is waiting for a special joint parliamentary committee’s recommendations on the issue of MAID expansion to include mental illness.
Justice Minister and Attorney General Sean Fraser told CTV the government awaits the results of committee study before making a decision. The committee is expected to table its report and recommendations before the end of June.
For now, in Canada, legislation exists to extend the temporary exclusion of eligibility to receive medical assistance in dying where a person’s sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness.
In 2027, Canadians 18 years and older with mental illness, such as depression or personality disorders, who are deemed to meet age and other eligibility criteria, could potentially access doctor-assisted death in Canada.
The acts governing public schooling in Ontario and Manitoba allow any student to remain in high school until a maximum age of 21. Disabled students can, and often do, remain in high school between the ages of 18 and 21 for continued learning opportunities.
As researchers whose combined expertise includes inclusive education and disability studies, we are profoundly concerned that this expansion could potentially implicate some high school students and the educators who are tasked with supporting them.
Transitioning planning to adulthood
In Manitoba, transitioning planning to adulthood begins for students with disabilities at age 14, but specialized day services are only available following age 21. This means for many students under age 21 with disabilities, there is a strong incentive to stay longer in secondary school.
I, Michael Baker, the first author of this article, continue to help disabled students transition from high school to a variety of supports and services, often funded by the provincial government.
Read the full story at The Conversation.
