There has been a big focus on the mental health aspects of dealing with COVID-19.
Now Health Alliance Board Chair Greg Aarssen says a funding announcement is helping the cause in Chatham-Kent.
“The Erie St Clair LHIN has recently advised that CKHA is going to receive an annualized base funding increase of more than $190,000 in fiscal 2020-21 to support mental health and addiction investments in our community.”
Some of the money, $40,000, is earmarked for a mobile health crisis response team.
CKHA CEO Lori Marshall says the mobile response team is a partnership between CKHA and Chatham-Kent Police, and the funding will go towards additional nursing hours to help front-line officers who respond to incidents involving individuals who may need mental health supports.
The Rapid Access Addiction Medicine Clinic, or RAAM Clinic, is getting the lion’s share at more than $150,000 to cover local assistance for substance abuse treatments.
Marshall says the funding will allow the Health Alliance to hire an addictions therapist as well as clerical support.
“Even before the pandemic, we knew that mental health and addictions was a growing need,” Marshall says. “We have definitely seen since the pandemic, increasing needs in our community. This is a good next step towards some enhancements, and we are committed to looking further as to how it is we might expand metal health and addictions services to support the need.”
