Some 50 professionals in mental health and related fields have started moving toward a better integrated system to deliver that service.
A day-long roundtable was held with participants from Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare, Canadian Mental Health Association, City of Windsor, the Erie St. Clair LHIN and emergency responders.
They addressed three key areas: transitional youth aged 16 to 18; housing and homelessness as well as the availability of psychiatric services.
CMHA CEO Claudia den boer Grima says the strategy is to use the systems better.
"There are lots of resources within the community of providers today, and as if Janice says we start to consider how we can work differently how we can work collaboratively to leverage those resources in a new way we can do some exciting and impactful things," says den boer Grima. "This also can't be just about how we as providers think we need to tee this up — better we absolutely need to include the client, the family the caregiver voice in this work we're about to embark on."
HDGH CEO Janice Kaffer says the mental health structure needs to be better designed for upper level assistance.
"How do we collectively position Windsor for successful receipt of money, so although money isn't going to solve everything — there is an opportunity right now to be able to attract new federal dollars that are coming through the province for mental health and addictions," says Kaffer.
Kaffer says they'll compile the results of the one-day session and revisit progress in September.