Since their son took his life, the Petrella family's home have been going through very hard times. The obnoxious and horrendous noise of 12-year-old, Chazz Petrella has been missing throughout the house, along with the uncontrollable violent actions and behavior. All the commotion from Chazz meant very little sleep through the countless nights that lasted for over two years. Two years of screaming, crying, and pain for the Petrella family. Why did it last that long? For parents Janet and Frank Petrella, the sleepless nights with their son have been replaced with sleepless nights without him. Children with mental health issues as Chazz had, have to have mandatory treatment at the correct time to cure the illness.
     

Even with all the care and attention that was devoted, Chazz committed suicide just after his 12th birthday, in late August of last year. All the problems started just after he began second grade. Mr. and Mrs. Petrella were informed that he had been aggressive and disruptive in class. He was then later was diagnosed with anxiety, ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), and ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder). His pediatrician prescribed medication to him, but all that seemed to do was make everything worse .
     

Chazz went to many schools around the Cobourg, Ontario area before his death.  He was going to continue treatment at the Bayfield Treatment Centre, a place where they cater to kids with mental problems like Chazz. Bayfield provides treatment for kids experiencing illnesses such as conduct disorder, psychiatric disorders and attention deficit disorder. It was perfect for Chazz, but as soon as he settled in, his treatment would turn on funding. Because Chazz arrived at Bayfield on emergency basis, his bill was covered for only the first 30 days. Service Coordination then extended the coverage to allow Chazz to finish the school year. But the Petrella's were warned that if Chazz did come back to Bayfield the next year, they would have to pay out of pocket. At least $21,000 each year. Why should a child stop treatment that was good for him?

“We battled for so long, and came up against so many barriers in finding appropriate treatment for Chazz,” Janet said. “There was so much confusion about what treatment he needed”.
     

Since 2001, there have been eight different government reports in Ontario, all saying that they need to do better when it comes to children with mental illness. Additionally, at least four coroners juries have suggested specific changes. This problem is not new. Why hasn’t anything been changed? If the changes were made, Chazz’s result might have changed and he possibly would still be alive. When a child is found with mental illness, it should be a priority to treat them. Different government reports suggest assigning each family a government-appointed guide. A person who is trained to help children and help them through their problems. Has that happened? No.
     

Despite the fact Chazz was declined twice to testing and care that might have been important, the funding was not approved by the non-profit agency “Service Coordination for Children and Youth”. Due to this, he never received a firm diagnosis or treatment plan. Beside the fact that he was in and out of three public schools, two specialized residential facilities for children with behavioural issues, a private school for children with special needs, and an in-patient psychiatric crisis centre, nothing was changed.
     

Mental health is one area of health care funding that did not gain anything from the increased health care transfers since 2004. Access to mental health care services has not improved since the idea of the Mental Health Commission strategy in 2012. Canada stands behind other countries in this area. For example, the UK spends 10.8% of its health spending on mental health compared to 7% in Canada. Some areas have been cutting mental health spending, putting aside the fact that it needs to improve. It’s critical for children with mental health issues to have the correct treatment at the right time to prevent further spreading of the illness. There are many opportunities to take to take and many companies to help this global issue, but the government decides to do nothing about it. By doing nothing, other cases like Chazz continue to happen.
     

I’m fortunate enough to not have any mental issues, but I know that it isn’t right for a child to suffer. I’m fortunate enough to have a family with little troubles. I’m fortunate enough to have the correct care and attention that is needed at the right time. I’m fortunate enough to have all of this, but children such as Chazz don’t and those are the children that need it most. He was only a child, but he had to suffer.  He was only a child but he had to go through family troubles. He was only a child but he did not have the correct care or attention. He was only a child.