A new mobile crisis response team for those experiencing homelessness, addiction and mental illness in Lambton County is expected to launch later this year, the province announced this week.
Michael Tibollo, Ontario’s associate minister of mental health and addictions, was in Wyoming Wednesday to announce more than $2.5 million in funding over three years to expand access to specialized addictions care in the community, avoiding unnecessary visits to emergency departments and police involvement.
“People facing mental health and addictions crisis require immediate response and help connecting to longer-term care options,” Tibollo said. “Our government is funding innovative programs like this one in Lambton County as a critical step to filling gaps in mental health and addictions care, addressing the surge in demand for substance use services and helping ensure vulnerable people connect to high-quality care where and when they need it.”
Lambton’s new mobile response team is one of three pilot projects announced by the province through the Addictions Recovery Fund; the others are in Thunder Bay and Simcoe County.
The mobile crisis response team is expected to launch later this year and will consist of community paramedicine and mental health crisis workers that can provide immediate mental health and addictions support and options for ongoing care, including:
- On-scene interventions and de-escalation
- Referrals to treatment, community mental health supports, housing and other support agencies
- Connections to primary care providers and access to withdrawal management beds
- Wound care, health and wellness checks, medication supports, warming, cooling and harm reduction supplies, education on first aid and infection control
- Early intervention with individuals experiencing homelessness or mental health crisis and members of other marginalized communities to help address medical and social concerns before they require emergency health or police response.
The Corporation of the County of Lambton will be working in collaboration with several partners, including Sarnia and Ontario Provincial Police, Lambton Public Health, Canadian Mental Health Association, social service agencies, Rapids family health team, the Sarnia Lambton Ontario Health Team and Bluewater Health to provide support and interventions across the county, including Lambton’s rural areas.
"Funding for the new Community Health Integrated Care Pilot will provide much needed support seven days a week, 12 hours per day, to connect some of our most marginalized residents in Lambton County to the most appropriate care,” said Anita Trusler
Crisis System Navigation Manager, Lambton EMS. “This is a great example of how paramedics, working in collaboration with our partners in the health, social and justice system, can deliver community based care outside of the traditional 911 model."