The Community Mental Health Program (CMHP) celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, a milestone that marks a decade of delivering care to individuals where they need it, when they need it.
The Royal’s ten community teams provide a range of services including outreach, assessment, consultation, training and education, treatment, and a host of supports that fall under the “other” category such as helping clients find work or housing, or reconnecting with family.
“We are able to help people in a lot of different ways because we’re out there in their world,” says Robin Pow, the director of patient care services for CMHP.
Last year over 1500 clients were served across Ottawa and southeastern Ontario.
(Read more about the different CMH teams and the services they provide right here.)
We asked Pow to share four highlights from the program’s history that have had the most impact on the community.
A new home base
Even though 85% of appointments are out in the community, community mental health teams still need a home base – it’s a place to connect with colleagues and a place to host group sessions and events for clients. Some clients also come in for appointments, or assessments.
Ten years ago, The Royal’s community health care teams worked out of several different locations. Leases were coming up for renewal, which created an opportunity to consider a better way. The move was made to second floor offices at Carlingwood Shopping Centre. As Pow describes it, the new space gave CMHP more of a presence in the community and immediately improved communication and sharing between staff. Clients embraced it as well. The accessibility has had a destigmatizing effect.
“To be in a place that clients easily can get to – with pretty good bus access and free parking – that’s huge,” reflects Pow, who points out the mall presents a comfortable and familiar setting for many of us.
Providing care where there was a gap
“Expanding our dual diagnosis services was a huge accomplishment for CMHP in the last ten years,” says Pow.
A dual diagnosis is given when a person has an intellectual disability and mental illness.
CMHP created its Flexible Assertive Community Treatment Team (FACTT-DD) after a provincial working group – of which The Royal was a part – concluded that services for people with dual diagnosis were lacking in this region.
Today, FACTT-DD provides both high- and low-intensity level of service to over 100 people with a dual diagnosis in the Ottawa region and via satellite offices in Cornwall and Pembroke, which are funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services. It’s the first team of its kind in the world.
For Pow, one of the best aspects of FACTT-DD is that clients benefit from a continuity of care. “We thought having consistent care providers over a long period of time would be really helpful for that population,” she describes. “We are very fortunate to get the funding for that.”
Community partnerships
Two years ago, CMHP struck up a partnership with the John Howard Society to provide FACTT services to support men with a dual diagnosis coming out of the criminal justice system. This helps individuals achieve their goals so they can lead fulfilling lives in their own communities.
“That has been a great partnership,” says Pow.
It’s a good fit. Like John Howard, CMHP takes a very holistic approach. Outcomes improve with treatment and but also by helping individuals find housing and jobs. Earlier this year, CMHP co-created a new mobile health clinic in collaboration with Ottawa Inner City Health, Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, Somerset West Community Health Centre, Ottawa Public Health, and TELUS Health.
The CMHP women’s mental health team has also recently struck up a partnership with Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre. (Subscribe to our newsletter and get more details soon!)
Deeper relationships with clients and families
All programs at The Royal engage with clients and families in a variety of ways, and the same is true at CMHP. Whether it’s asking for feedback about groups or activities, or making program decisions, involving clients and families in care makes for a better experience for everyone.
Pow notes the strong connection between CMHP staff and clients. Some work together over long periods of time and get to know each other really well.
“You see people get better and make a lot of personal gains, and when we look back on where they were five, six years ago, we see people who are well-housed, talking to their family again, they’ve got meaningful activities, work part time, or are more integrated into their community,” says Pow with a smile. “You see that part of people’s lives. It’s a real privilege, and it’s not everywhere in the health care system you get to experience that.”
Thank you CMH, for the work that you do. Happy 10th anniversary!
