A new mental health initiative that will be introduced to residents of Huron and Perth counties next week will broaden access to mental health and addictions services.
The Huron and Perth Ontario Health Team (OHT) supported the rollout of Huron-Perth Walk-In Counselling, a new pathway for individuals aged 16 and older to connect with a therapy session without an appointment. Danielle Johnston, Manager of Community Mental Health at Alexandra and Marine General Hospital in Goderich, says these totally free single session therapy clinics offer a new way for many to access services that they maybe couldn't before.
"Single session is really unique in that the idea is that you don't need to have a lengthy assessment. It really is a great opportunity to access treatment without having to have that lengthy assessment process, and a lot of barriers," Johnston explained.
The partnership involves Huron Health System, the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA), Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Huron Perth and Thames Valley, and Medavie Mobile Mental Health. The Huron Perth OHT went ahead with approval for the project in the spring, and staff among the partner organizations began training for the single session model to make the rollout as smooth and seamless as possible, Johnston points out.
She also notes that having a service like this is desperately needed at a time where so many people are running into barriers when it comes to accessing reliable mental health and addictions services.
"It can be difficult to navigate, and it can be even more difficult to navigate especially if you're not feeling well, if you're not doing well. So really the idea is to make this as seamless as possible and I think we've seen such a need in our community," Johnston added.
Huron-Perth Walk-In Counselling launches September 14, and a full schedule of walk-in counselling opportunities can be seen at https://www.huronhealthsystem.ca/walk-in-counselling. Individuals looking for more information about the program can also contact the Huron-Perth Helpline and Crisis Response Team at 1-888-829-7484.
"Making it easier for people to access support when they need it is an important part of building a stronger local system of care," said Jimmy Trieu, President & CEO of Huron Health System. "This new program will create another pathway for people to connect with mental health support when they are ready to reach out. It is also an excellent example of what can happen when local organizations work together."
