Mental Health Issues and/or Problematic Substance Use  

Table of Contents:

Youth

Three-Year Child and Youth Mental Health Plan

New Regional Addictions Treatment Clinic 

Access and Coordination

Addictions and Mental Health Network of Champlain (AMHNC)

Champlain Dementia Network

Youth

New Program to Address Critical Gap for Youth in Mental Health Crisis

Chantale LeClerc, CEO of the Champlain Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) speaking at The Bridges Project event on December 10, 2012. Local mental health service providers announced plans for a new service that will bridge the serious service gap for youth suffering from a mental health crisis and in need of intensive treatment in the community. The Champlain LHIN played a major role in making this project a reality. To read more, click here.

Significant progress was made on the action plan to implement mental health and addiction services adapted to the needs of children and youth. This priority action area aligns with the initial focus on children and youth identified within the government’s mental health strategy (Open Minds, Healthy Minds – Ontario’s Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Strategy), announced in June 2011. In fact, the Champlain LHIN’s innovative Transitional Youth Pilot Project was highlighted in the government’s strategy.

During this developmental year, the Transitional Youth Pilot Project became operational and an initial evaluation was completed. The aim of the project is to support youth transitioning to adult mental health services. At year-end, the project assisted in the transition of 62 young people in the Ottawa area. An additional 46 were in the process of transitioning, amounting to 108 youth served.

The project was successful in developing a partnership among 11 primary and specialized mental health and addiction services for children and adults. In-kind commitments from all partners were put forward in this 'shared care' model approach. The initial evaluation of the project indicates a high level of satisfaction from clients and their families. The model was also adapted for and implemented in Eastern Counties. Across Champlain, intensive case management services for youth were initiated to provide more individualized care for youth facing significant mental health problems.

Each year, through partnership with the community, the School-Based Addictions Counselling program enables 3,000 teachers and school workers to receive youth addictions training, approximately 1,250 youth to receive counselling through schools, and an additional 5,100 students to participate in education and prevention programs. In addition, counselling is provided in non-traditional school settings (Operation Come Home, Youville and Wabano) to reach marginalized youth.

The evaluation for school year 2010/11 demonstrated the positive impact of the program’s counselling efforts. For example, of the students in the sample group:

• 75% reported that they decreased or stopped their use of cannabis, with decreases in both frequency and quantity
• 70% showed an improvement in overall health and well-being, and
• 75% were able to maintain or increase their credit achievement during the evaluation period.

Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy
Three-Year Child and Youth Mental Health Plan

In 2011, the Ontario government announced new funding for mental health including an investment in Open Minds, Healthy Minds – Ontario’s Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Strategy. This long-term strategy supports mental health through all stages of life, from childhood to old age, and provides integrated services and supports to Ontarians’ mental health and addiction needs.

Within the strategy, the first three years of the plan is dedicated to the needs of children and youth. The Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) in partnership with the Ministry of Education (EDU) and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) will work towards implementing initiatives based on three key priorities:

1. Fast access to high-quality services: helping families find information more easily and access services more quickly
2. Early identification and support: providing service providers who work with children and youth the tools and knowledge necessary to identify and address mental health issues
3. Closing critical service gaps for vulnerable children and youth: increasing availability of culturally appropriate and specialized services.

Here is the the first issue of the Three-Year Child and Youth Mental Health Communiqué.

 New Regional Addictions Treatment Clinic  

Champlain LHIN Board Director David Somppi participated in an event at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre on January 17, 2013 to launch a regional clinic for young people with opioid addictions. The Champlain LHIN is helping to fund the new service. Improving care for those with mental health conditions and addictions is a priority for the Champlain LHIN. 

For more information click here 

Access and Coordination

Through the innovative, “intensive case management” Supportive Housing Program, people recovering from severe addictions can receive the assistance they need. The program assisted roughly 100 clients in Champlain. Serving some of the most marginalized people in our communities, the program reduces homelessness and fosters independence, well-being and recovery among people who have had little autonomy in their lives.

The Quick Response Treatment Program at the Centre Royal Comtois enabled 140 clients to access this quick response treatment that aims at reducing emergency department visits and hospital admissions.

An Addictions Integrated Access Model was developed to facilitate and coordinate services in Ottawa for clients seeking addictions services. The aim is to ensure clients receive support to help them navigate through an often fragmented system.

The universal screening tool for concurrent disorders (Global Appraisal of Individual Needs – Short Screener [GAIN-SS]) was adopted by a number of agencies in Champlain. Individuals with mental health issues may have concurrent, problematic substance use issues, or vice-versa. The GAIN-SS tool enables addiction, mental health and allied services to implement evidenced-based screening for addictions and mental health problems among people seeking help.

The province is starting a pilot project to implement a universal screening tool very similar to the one used in Champlain across all addictions agencies in the province.

Community mental health providers in the Champlain region are adopting the Ontario Common Assessment of Need. This assessment tool empowers both clients and providers to make a comprehensive assessment, as it evolves over time, and offers common language for clients and providers that will facilitate continuity and quality of care.

The integrated bed management system for mental health inpatient services is in place, resulting in improved use of the region’s bed capacity and better coordination of transfers. A region-wide consultation with patients and clients was held to identify strengths and opportunities in the discharge process from hospital for patients with mental health issues.