A custom-built retrofitted bus will be used as new mobile clinic offering mental health and addictions services in Peterborough and surrounding area, the Ontario government announced Thursday.
The mobile clinic setup will offer a full suite of mental health and addictions services offered by a multidisciplinary team and appropriately trained social workers and/or nurse practitioners. The team will be able to conduct intake and brief services, referrals to existing services, and psychiatric support and follow-up.
The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge in Peterborough will be responsible for overseeing the development and operation of the mobile mental health clinics. The CMHA branch serves Peterborough, Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton.
Christine Elliott, deputy premier and Minister of Health, says the mobile clinic program will help “break down” barriers to accessing high-quality mental health and addictions services by reducing the need for people to travel, and by giving access to more people in more places.
The province will commit $1M annually to the program which is expected to be launched by the end of this year or early 2022.
“This innovative partnership will help to bring needed mental health and addictions services directly to individuals living in Peterborough and the surrounding areas,” she said.
Mark Graham, CMHA HKPR’s chief executive officer, says the mobile clinic will help address “inequities in rural mental health and addictions care” in the communities it serves.
“The launch of this program is a monumental step in bringing a specialized mobile mental health and addictions care to underserviced and under-resourced communities,” he said.
As part of Ontario’s “Roadmap to Wellness,” plan, the 2021 budget committed $175 million in new annualized funding to expand and enhance mental health and addictions services, contributing to a total increase of $525 million in new net annualized funding since 2019.
“Since the release of Roadmap to Wellness last year, our government’s top priority has been to continue making critical investments that will fill urgent gaps in mental health and addictions care, reduce waiting lists and address extensive wait times,” said Michael Tibollo, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “Through the development of the mobile mental health clinic, clients and families in Peterborough and the surrounding region will have greater access to high-quality, evidence-based care, in a setting where they are fully supported on their journey towards recovery.”
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Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith says mental health is not limited by geography and the mobile clinics will help reach those in need.
“Mental health doesn’t respect geography; it isn’t an issue centred in our cities,” he said. “Our rural communities such as North Kawartha and Havelock have been unserved for too long. We’ll bring the services to you. Mobile mental health and addictions services will provide comprehensive and accessible support for those living beyond the city limits.”
Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini and Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott echoed Smith’s sentiment.
“With today’s funding, we continue our important work through Roadmap to Wellness to enhance services, fill urgent gaps in care and build a treatment network that will support children and youth, families, and communities on their journey to wellness,” said Piccini. “The mobile mental health and addictions clinic will help ensure clients in Peterborough and surrounding areas can receive the appropriate care and support they need in a timely manner and in the right setting, helping improve outcomes and avoiding hospital admissions.”
“Bringing mental health and addictions supports and services directly to the people who need them is another way our government is breaking down barriers and making these important services readily available. This mobile clinic will support individuals and families in the CMHA-HKPR catchment area and help address gaps in mental health and addictions care,” Scott added.
The clinic will start with one bus but the CMHA branch says it will fundraise to add a second bus. One bus will serve Peterborough and Northumberland County, the other for Haliburton and the City of Kawartha Lakes. Funding from the province will help support the operation of both vehicles.
— More to come
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