More provincial funding is helping to expand mental health services to residents in Lambton County.
The government has earmarked $2.5 million over three years to launch a new mobile crisis response team. The goal is to make accessing mental health and addictions support easier and more convenient.
The mobile crisis response team is expected to launch later this year and will consist of community paramedicine and mental health crisis workers that can provide immediate mental health and addictions support and options for ongoing care.
Officials with the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions say those supports could be anything from on-scene interventions and de-escalation to wound care and wellness checks.
“People facing mental health and addictions crisis require immediate response and help connecting to longer-term care options,” said Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions in a news release. “Our government is funding innovative programs like this one in Lambton County as a critical step to filling gaps in mental health and addictions care, addressing the surge in demand for substance use services and helping ensure vulnerable people connect to high-quality care where and when they need it.”
The Corporation of the County of Lambton will be working in collaboration with several partners, including Sarnia and Ontario Provincial Police, Lambton Public Health, Canadian Mental Health Association, social service agencies, Rapids family health team, the Sarnia Lambton Ontario Health Team and Bluewater Health to provide support and interventions across the county, including Lambton’s rural areas.