Londoners suffering from mental illness or addiction will soon have a safe place to stay for 72 hours.
Ontario Health Minister, Dr. Eric Hoskins, announced $1.2-million Tuesday to build a 24/7 crisis centre that will be run by the Canadian Mental Health Association Middlesex at 648 Huron St.
The 10-bed facility will support approximately 2,100 adults each year and is expected to divert those experiencing mental health or addictions crisis from busy emergency rooms and Victoria Hospital's overcrowded psychiatric ward.
The centre will ensure those in need will get assessments, crisis intervention, referrals to longer-term services and follow-ups.
"For too long the emergency rooms have been the default for those in a crisis. We know the emergency rooms don't always have the capacity to meet these patients needs," says Dr. Hoskins. "Having the ability to connect people with a centre in the community with staff trained in mental health crisis intervention, that will provide patients with more appropriate and more effective care. It means we are putting patients first."
The centre will also remove police involvement for those suffering a mental episode.
"This is a key component for the London Police Service strategy towards de-escalating the police role in mental health and addiction crisis responses, reducing police apprehensions under the mental health act and reducing arrests and charges for mental health related criminal offences," says London Police Superintendent Bill Chantler.
The CMHA Middlesex has already secured $810,000 in annual operations funds from the Local Health Integration Network.
London North Centre MPP and Deputy Premier Deb Matthews was also in attendance for the announcement.
The new centre is expected to be operational by this spring.
