OHA Introduces New Series Spotlighting Partnerships Aimed at Strengthening Mental Health and Addictions Care
COVID-19 has exposed gaps in access to mental health and addictions services in Ontario, especially with respect to the continuity of services during the pandemic. This has largely stemmed from the challenges introduced by COVID-19, such as isolation needs, access to testing, infection prevention and control (IPAC) demands, and availability of personal protective equipment. However, even before COVID-19 arrived, there was broad acknowledgement by government and system leaders that much more capacity was needed to meet the current and rising demand for these critical services.
This is why health system partners – hospitals and community organizations – have come together to address these gaps and develop innovative approaches to mental health and addictions service delivery. In this respect, COVID-19 had a silver lining. It helped accelerate existing partnerships, and at times, helped forge new ones that paved the way for creative solutions to service these gaps in care.
This mental health and addictions series was initiated by Addictions and Mental Health Ontario in partnership with the Ontario Hospital Association to profile a number of these successful collaborations that developed in response to the pandemic. They illustrate the value of partnerships in solving system issues and underscore the responsiveness, commitment and creativity of health care providers in meeting Ontarians' most pressing health care needs.
Author: LOFT Community Services
The Canadian Criminal Code provides a defense of "not criminally responsible" for individuals who committed a criminal offense while experiencing a "mental disorder that makes them unable to appreciate the nature or quality of the act." The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)'s Forensic Unit is one of the locations where people deemed not criminally responsible can receive treatment for their mental health challenges.
Once these individuals attain stability, they often stay at CAMH for longer than required since service and supportive housing providers are reluctant to accept clients with a criminal record.
Julius, a LOFT client (pictured above), is one of these individuals: though convicted of criminal harassment and uttering threats, he was deemed not criminally responsible. Since 2015, LOFT has been partnering with CAMH to help people like Julius reintegrate into the community through the Mental Health and Justice Initiative (MHJI). LOFT offers housing support and CAMH psychiatric care for clients with complex mental health challenges. Through this partnership, psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers work together as one team. This collaborative approach is a key driver for the success of the program.
Through LOFT, clients have 24/7 staff support on-site. They also have access to medication assistance, meals, personal support workers for daily living-related support, showering assistance, and several resources. LOFT's key strength is to build relationships with clients and to demonstrate trust in their capacity to change and to lead their own lives. In summary, clients are provided with high to low support based on the individual needs of our clients, who also undergo random drug tests and continued psychiatric support from CAMH.
To this date, the MHJI has seen five clients move from receiving high support care at our site to being fully reintegrated into society. In addition, two clients are now receiving continued care at a senior housing program. Through a continual commitment to learning from clients about their specific kinds of needs, LOFT has increased population-specific knowledge and expanded capacity to assist people on their journey to a more independent and dignified life.
Not criminally responsible individuals come under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Review Board (ORB). The ORB sets conditions for each person based on their mental health challenges and needs, their ability to reintegrate into society, and the need to protect the public. Julius was under an ORB order requiring him to live at LOFT under supervision. At his ORB review hearing, it was expected that his conditions would be reduced. However, he had done so well through our program that he received an absolute discharge and all conditions in his case were completely removed. This rare outcome appears to have lifted a weight from his shoulders, leaving him more positive and hopeful.
Julius has chosen to live at LOFT so he can continue to benefit from the combined support provided by LOFT and CAMH.
While our partners at CAMH help clients find stability for their mental health illnesses through psychiatric support, a community-based approach, like the one provided by LOFT, gives them confidence in their ability to live in and contribute to the community. The empowering combination of mental health support with community-based housing services provides clients like Julius with a tangible road to long term recovery.