Another step toward the creation of wrap-around treatment and housing services for those suffering from addictions and mental health issues was taken Wednesday.
Hastings County’s Community and Human Services Committee recommended County Council endorse an application from several social services agencies for $6.3 million a year for 3 years from the provincial government to create a HART Hub. County council meets October 31.
HART stands for Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment.
Lisa Ali of Canadian Mental Health Association Hastings Prince Edward (CMHAHPE) says part of the concept would involve 22 transitional housing beds at 228 Dundas Street East in Belleville.
Ali says the HART Hub proposal will involve various social service agencies located at The Bridge Integrated Services facility now under renovation at Alhambra Square in Belleville.
“offering basic care needs, access to primary care services, addictions treatment and pathways into continual service which includes transitional housing, social services, and employment supports.”
Ali told the Committee another crucial part of the concept and application for funding are community outreach teams involving paramedics and mental health counselors.
“So in addition to seeking permanent funding for the current outreach team working now CMHA and Hastings County Paramedic Services have designed two rapid response teams that will respond to involving drug toxicity, follow-ups to those who’ve experienced overdose or attending emergency departments because of an overdose withdrawal. These rapid response teams will be the backbone of the mobile services insuring those in rural and remote communities get connected and have access to a full range of services including addictions care, treatment, housing support and basic primary care.”
Agencies involved in creating the concept were CMHAHPE, Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Bridge Street Drop in, Hastings-Quinte Paramedic Services, Belleville & Quinte West CHC, Hastings County, Loyalist College, United Way HPE, Quinte Health, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.
Belleville council has provided significant support to the concept providing some $4 million toward the creation of The Bridge services hub.
Chair of the County’s Community and Human Services Committee and Belleville Councillor Chris Malette was proud of the city’s leadership, pointing the State of Emergency declared by Mayor Neil Ellis after a spate of overdoses in February.
“It’s unfortunate that we had to do that to bring attention to this very serious issue but it got the government’s attention” said Malette.
He had high praise for the organizations involved.
“As a resident and a taxpayer in the City of Belleville I’m immensely proud of the efforts that the groups that are here today have put into this project.”
This would be the sixteenth application for provincial support for addiction/mental health services from local organizations over the past few years. The previous fifteen were turned down.
Recently the province announced $378 million to create 19 HART Hubs in various regions. Applications for the funding close this month.
People living in both Hastings and Prince Edward could benefit from the system.
See the detailed HART Hub proposal to be submitted to the province here.
