Erie Shores HealthCare in Leamington is expanding its addiction and mental health crisis services.
In the past, a Windsor-Essex Community Health Centre addictions worker has been on-site at the hospital one day a week, providing support for patients seeking help with substance abuse.
As of September, the addiction and mental health services are available five days a week and include assessment, counselling, harm reduction, and referrals to bed-based and community-based programs.
Vice President of Operations at Erie Shores HealthCare Rashoo Brar says this is for the emergency department and admitted patients.
"The expanded services are basically responding to the alarming trends in Windsor-Essex, where substance-related harms continue to rise," she says.
Brar says this is about servicing the needs of the community.
"We want to make sure that the patients are getting care closer to home. Making this service accessible to patients is our need," she says. "We are not only supporting our patient population, but we are also building trust with our patients who are coming and seeking services at Erie Shores."
Brar says the expanded services will be running Monday to Friday.
"Providing addiction services to our inpatient, admitted patients and patients presenting at emergency, not only providing services but connecting them post discharge from emergency or from inpatient for their recovery in the community," she says.
The expanded services are part of a partnership with Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, the Canadian Mental Health Association Windsor-Essex County, and the Windsor-Essex Community Health Centre.