Mental Health and Addictions Funding
A recent $2 million provincial investment will be used to enhance access and care for individuals who are experiencing mental health and addictions challenges in communities throughout the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network.
Local funding of almost $137,000will be used to upgrade and expand existing early psychosis intervention programs for individuals 17 to 25 years old offered through West Niagara Mental Health, located at Hamilton Health Sciences’ (HHS) West Lincoln Memorial Hospital. The West NiagaraMental Health Team is a service of HHS with support from St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton’s Centre for Mountain Health Services/Cleghorn program for Early Intervention in Psychosis.The program has been providing mental health servicesto individuals age 16 and older in the community since 1997.
Over the past year, the West Niagara Mental Health Team piloted a comprehensive adolescent treatment which includedcaregivers. The treatment is called Dialectical Behavior Therapy and aims to help individuals learn to manage their emotions effectively, reduce anger, stop suicidal behaviour and self-injury, and overcome problems with substance use and eating disorders.“The provincial funding will further enable us to expand treatment so that we can provide more comprehensive care for patients and support for family members. By having caregivers and familiesas part of the treatment with the adolescents and transition age adults, bothlearn new effective ways of managing,” explains Christopher Conley, Senior Clinical Specialist and Supervisor of West Niagara Mental Health.
An occupational therapist will join the West Niagara team, and a new service model for transitional age youth and young adults is being developed for the service. The updated model willfocus on two streams of care: rapid assessment and treatment for patients with new or suspected mental health problems without prior intervention; and care for youth transitioning to adult services. “We want these young adults and their families to have access to the best mental health services possible,” explains Christopher. “We are working closely with St. Joseph’s Youth Wellness Centre and also the Region of Niagara to establish this new model.”
The service will provide accessible assessment, expert diagnostic clarification, and will build and offer youth-specific evidence-based treatments. Additionally, the team will work directly with youth and transition-aged young adults to establish a youth council so that they can provide meaningful input into these programs and services.