Mental Health & Addiction Help Closer to Home

NEWS RELEASE:

The Ontario government is investing $387,200 to connect people living in rural and underserved areas across Hastings and Prince Edward Counties to more accessible and convenient mental health and addictions care closer to home. This investment supports a mobile community-based withdrawal management clinic to bring specialized supports directly to people living with addictions challenges, where and when they need it.

Through Budget 2024, this investment is part of the government’s $124 million commitment over three years to support the continuation of the Addictions Recovery Fund, ensuring people and their families have ongoing access to enhanced specialized services for mental health and addictions treatment.

This mobile clinic conveniently connects people to a team of service providers that travel directly to their communities, reducing the need for people to travel to find withdrawal management services. The clinic will coordinate with additional services and programs already provided by Canadian Mental Health Association Hastings Prince Edward (CMHA HPE), such as community case management, high support housing, and psychotherapy.

CMHA HPE is responsible for overseeing the operation of the mobile clinic and provides a continuum of community-based services for people living with mental health and/or substance use challenges across the region. CMHA HPE will continue to work with community partners to ensure the clinic meets the unique needs of the communities it serves now and into the future.

“Transportation can be a barrier to people receiving the help they need,” said Bay of Quinte MPP Todd Smith. “Through our investment in mobile service delivery, the Canadian Mental Health Association Hastings Prince Edward can meet people where they’re at to offer withdrawal management and increased access to other mental health and addictions supports within their communities.”

“We appreciate the government’s commitment to addressing inequities in rural mental health and addictions care in the communities we serve through this investment. The mobile clinic will not only remove barriers like transportation, geography and stigma but also improve access to services, decrease the need for crisis intervention, divert emergency department visits and enable people to receive compassionate mental health and addiction care close to their home.” said CMHA HPE CEO Lisa Ali.