Who ya gonna call?

not the Ghostbusters…

As a matter of fact, if you need a Mental Health and Addictions Counsellor in Wawa it is as clear as mud ‘who ya gonna call’. Algoma Public Health handed over the community alcohol/drug assessment and community mental health programs that they were administering to the now renamed Canadian Mental Health Association Algoma (CMHA Algoma) on April 1st.

This media release was merely posted to the APH website, where local media (Wawa and Soo) then shared it with their readers. If not for the diligence of these news sites – I’m not sure many would have known.

Current clients have been notified by their caseworker – but as many who have family who deal with addictions – they need a counsellor today, and maybe tomorrow; and then they are off the radar again. Whether it is because they are using, or they can’t pay their cell and have no way to reach out – there is a myriad of reasons. Some clients may have been doing well, been coping with everything for a couple of years… So who are they gonna call when they have a crisis now – there is no office to go to now? The media release didn’t share that information!

There isn’t even a poster on the door at APH or the public board at the post office saying – CALL this number if you need help!

The amalgamation story gets worse now…

So how about no physical office in Wawa anymore. Yeah, I know it is COVID times, but a local office means that at least they can go to the door – see a poster, or if they can go in – get the contact information to make a self-referral. When a person says they need help – now is the time to help them.

So no office – Dare I ask about support staff? Under APH there were two great counselors, and a secretary who keeps things rolling, a place to keep files and notes, coordinate further care, and all that great stuff. Where is this now? The Soo? How does case information get filed? Where is a safe place for counselors to meet their clients? If these counselors have to work from their homes – how about safety for them, technology…

There doesn’t seem to have been much thought given to this transition. And who does it affect?

Did you know?

OPIOID deaths In Algoma are up over 500% to approximately 60 persons in 2020

That is almost triple the rate in Ontario.

These are our parents, spouses, partners, children. And what disservice are we allowing to happen now? A publically funded organization handed a program over and during the transition, is falling apart.

Who pays the price? Well, we know that approximately 60 people in the Algoma District have died due to opioid overdoses in 2020. How many more are uncounted (family shame, attributed to anything else to protect their memory)? How many more OD, use Narcan, and go on? One day they will be a statistic.

We have no idea how bad the drug problem is in Wawa. I can tell you there are many, many Narcan kits being distributed – but there are no readily available statistics.

One might wonder just how much oversight was given to this transfer. I don’t have any answers, but I can tell you, that if I sold a business there would be a transition plan in place so that my customers would remain customers for the new owner. One must question the effectiveness of the LHIN who was to oversee this transition.

One might wonder why wasn’t the handover done to the local health clinic? These are the people who know our people, our community. Why is this being delivered from the Soo?

It was bad enough that we have to send our citizens to the Soo and points beyond to access very, very expensive rehab. Now the relationships that they have established here for counseling appear to be threatened in this transfer of care from one agency to another. Wouldn’t services be better if they were defined, and needs to be identified by our own local communities rather than an urban central location?

It has been 15 days since that announcement, and Wawa now has only one Mental Health and Addictions Counsellor, the other resigned yesterday, April 14th, 2021.

Now do keep in mind that I have spoken about Wawa. How will assessments be completed in Dubreuilville, White River, and Hornepayne without office space? Too many questions…

Who are you gonna call?

All phone numbers I could find online refer to Algoma Public Health and the offices on Ganley or Iris Place.

I suggest starting with Mike. Even if you don’t have a loved one in need of help – call anyhow – we need to have that help in place for when that someone does reach out for help!

Mike Mantha, MPP Tel: 705-461-9710, 1-800-831-1899
Fax: 705-461-9720
Email: [email protected]

---

Algoma Public Health mental health and addictions services will be transferred into Canadian Mental Health Association Algoma

Tue, Mar 30, 2021

(Joint news release with Canadian Mental Health Association Algoma)

On April 1, 2021 the community alcohol/drug assessment and community mental health programs currently administered through Algoma Public Health will transition over to the renamed Canadian Mental Health Association Algoma (CMHA Algoma).

All current mental health and addictions clients are being notified of this change and staff are working closely with their clients to ensure that there is no disruption in their services through this transfer.

CMHA Algoma is also in the process of redesigning its model of service to include a single point of access for incoming calls and referrals that will align well with best practice priorities for mental health and addictions. The Roadmap to Wellness: a plan to build Ontario’s mental health and addictions system (2020) has identified the system challenges related to “Ontarians not knowing what services exist or where or how to get help” and identifies improving access as a priority for Ontario. CMHA Algoma’s new access model will allow clients to be immediately linked to a staff person who will connect the individual to the appropriate mental health and addictions support services.

As Canadian Mental Health Association Sault Ste. Marie Branch will be servicing clients across the Algoma district, the organization will now be known as Canadian Mental Health Association Algoma – Mental Health and Addictions Services. This better reflects the services that we are delivering across the District of Algoma.