Mental health and addictions services 'integrate' in Huron-Perth
There’s a new name and vision for mental health in Huron and Perth counties, with little to no changes expected for clients.
“Ideally they won’t notice any change at all, but what we know from our ability to provide services is, things will be more integrated and better organized,” explained the Ontario CEO for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Camille Quenneville.
Two of the largest providers of mental health and addiction services in Huron and Perth counties — Choices for Change and Resilience Huron Perth — are joining forces to become Huron Perth Addiction and Mental Health Services, a chapter of the CMHA.
“We see the same clients. We have similar programs. Peer support, court support, case management, housing, so it just really made sense for us to bring it all together, and have it really, truly integrated,” said Catherine Hardman, the former executive director of Choices for Change and CEO of the newly created CMHA Huron Perth Addiction and Mental Health Services.
Hardman, who will lead the newly merged organization which served a combined 2,600 clients last year, said streamlining the two groups makes sense now as the complexity of the cases they manage increases.
“You used to see people who just drank, or were depressed. The complexity we see now is so difficult. People are using multiple drugs at one time, on top of having really significant mental health concerns,” she said.
The newly created CMHA Huron Perth Addiction and Mental Health Services will have 90 employees and will retain its five offices — two in Stratford, two in Goderich, and one in Seaforth.
“We don’t ever approach these integrations as a money saving opportunity. There’s still the same number of clients. It’s really about how do we organize ourselves better to support them,” said Quenneville.
The new addictions and mental health counselling organization will be headquartered out of Stratford. Hardman believes the CMHA’s national name recognition will make it easier for those in need to find the help they need.
“People know when they hear 'Canadian Mental Health Association' they understand that it’s reputable, and that they’re going to get good service. It’s where they can go to get what they need,” said Hardman.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.