Ontario’s Minister of Health, Dr. Eric Hoskins, announced on October 2 that Ontario is continuing to improve access to mental health and addictions services by expanding psychotherapy programs across the province, which will support more than 100,000 people with conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Among the initiatives that the province is investing in are in-person individual and group psychotherapy counselling programs coordinated through The Royal as well as Ontario's other three specialty mental health hospitals (CAMH, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, and Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care) in partnership with community-based providers. These programs will be provided through local primary care providers and community mental health agencies, and will also be available remotely through the Ontario Telemedicine Network.
The Royal will be working with community partners to increase the availability of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for patients who need it. The work will include training and supervising clinicians in the community to deliver CBT at their agency or hospital locations. These expanded services will enable people with mild to moderate symptoms of depression and/or anxiety to receive much needed psychotherapy at their community health care providers.
“As Eastern Ontario’s specialized mental health centre, The Royal is committed to ensuring that the best possible mental health care is available not only within our facility but across our community. We are collaborating with highly-skilled clinical partners across the region to make this happen – that is what capacity-building is all about. The province of Ontario’s new investment in psychotherapy programs will enable us to help people suffering from mental illness access the care they need, where they need it.” George Weber, president and CEO of The Royal.
The Royal is partnering with Family Services Ottawa, Hawkesbury and District General Hospital, Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team, Pembroke Regional Hospital, Cornwall Community Hospital, Montfort Hospital/Montfort Academic Family Health Team and CMHA Ottawa to provide this expanded access to psychological therapies.
Training of clinicians is already underway and services will begin to become available in mid-October at Family Services Ottawa and Hawkesbury and District General Hospital with other sites to follow.
Click here to view the the province's news release.
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