Increasing Access to Mental Health Care in North Simcoe

Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care – Province investing in two facilities to better integrate care

NEWS

October 6, 2017

Ontario is improving and integrating acute mental health care services for people in the North Simcoe area, which will provide greater access to high-quality treatment and support closer to home.

Ann Hoggarth, MPP for Barrie, was at Georgian Bay General Hospital’s Midland site on behalf of Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, to announce Ontario’s investment in Georgian Bay General Hospital and Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.

The new 16,600 square-foot wing at the existing Georgian Bay General Hospital in Midland will provide acute inpatient care to accommodate mental health patients in need of emergency hospital services.

The construction of the new Waypoint facility will co-locate community mental health programs with their outpatient acute mental health care, which provides services like community-based assessment, treatment and support for adults with serious mental illness. It will also provide employment and education supports, recreation therapy, housing, social and community-integration services under one roof.

These two facilities will work together to serve patients requiring immediate treatment for sudden onset mental illness, as well as those who need longer-term treatment, to provide better integrated care. To help improve services in the region, the province is investing in new infrastructure projects at these locations.

Ontario is increasing access to care, reducing wait times and improving the patient experience through its Patients First Action Plan for Health Care and OHIP+: Children and Youth Pharmacare – protecting health care today and into the future.

QUOTES

“Investing in mental health care in North Simcoe will give people access to high-quality mental health treatment and support, close to home. These two important investments will provide integrated mental health care for the community, and is yet another step towards transforming mental health and addictions treatment across Ontario.”
— Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

“Improving access to mental health care is crucial to ensuring that Ontarians are able to live healthy and fulfilling lives. I am thrilled that this grant will help to deliver these necessary services in Simcoe County.”
— Ann Hoggarth, MPP, Barrie

“Georgian Bay General Hospital has received great support from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in the planning process for an inpatient mental health unit. We see an increasing demand for mental health services at GBGH each year. By providing 20 additional mental health beds, less patients will have to travel outside their community for care.”
— Gail Hunt, President and CEO, Georgian Bay General Hospital

“While Waypoint will be sad to see the program move after providing these services for many decades, this is good news for our residents as they will be treated in a community hospital with an emergency department for their short-term illness just as they would for other acute illnesses or health crisis. We are pleased to partner with GBGH’s future inpatient mental health program through our outpatient services that will be relocated to the new Waypoint/CHIGAMIK Community Health Hub. On behalf of CHIGAMIK Community Health Centre and Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care I extend our thanks to the Ministry for also moving the health hub forward.”
— Carol Lambie, President and CEO, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care

“These investments in mental health and community health care will contribute to building more person-centred and accessible care to the residents of this region. This project aligns closely with the health care priorities of the North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network.”
— Jill Tettmann, CEO, North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN

QUICK FACTS

Approximately 30 per cent of people in Ontario will experience mental illness and/or substance abuse at some point in their lifetime.
The Georgian Bay General Hospital infrastructure project includes the construction of a 16,600 square-foot wing linked to the existing building on the Midland site, along with the transfer of 20 acute mental health beds from the Waypoint location.
The Waypoint project includes making about 15,000 square feet suitable for use at a new site in Midland.
Ontario recently announced a $140 million investment in mental health support over three years to help thousands more people across the province get the care they need. This investment is in addition to the $3.7 billion Ontario invested in mental health services in 2015-16.

LEARN MORE

For public inquiries call ServiceOntario, INFOline at 1-866-532-3161 (Toll-free in Ontario only)
Colin Campbell, Legislative Assistant
Office of Ann Hoggarth, MPP Barrie
ccampbell@liberal.ola.org
416-938-7406
ontario.ca/health-news
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