Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes MPP Steve Clark has announced Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Addictions and Mental Health (LLGAMH) will receive $320,000 in funding to enhance local substance use treatment programs.
MPP Clark made the announcement today on behalf of the Hon. Michael Tibollo, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Addictions and Mental Health, with LLGAMH’s new Chief Executive Officer, Patricia Kyle, and Roger Haley, who was recently named Chair of the agency’s Board of Directors.
This funding will be targeted for new, local, community-based initiatives supporting individuals who use substances. The opioid crisis has elevated the need for additional measures. This funding will allow LLGAMH to offer enhanced day and evening substance use programming. Detailed planning, working with our community partners, will begin shortly.
“Advocating for mental health and addictions investments in our community has been a priority for me as MPP. Our government understands how critical these services are to the people I represent, and that we need to provide them close to where they live,” said Steve. “I’m also pleased to join Patricia and Roger today and congratulate them on their new roles with Addictions and Mental Health. I look forward to continuing to work with them to enhance services and ensure the agency’s staff has the resources they need.”
“MPP Clark has always been an avid supporter for improvements in the health care system,” noted Roger Haley. “This funding will certainly go a long way in helping us fight these hidden illnesses of addictions and mental health.”
LLGAMH CEO, Patricia Kyle, agreed: “LLGAMH’s mission includes promoting ‘recovery, independence, and well-being to individuals and families.’ With this additional funding, we can elevate our care and services for this complex health issue even more. Thank you to MPP Clark and Associate Minister of Addictions and Mental Health, Michael Tibollo.”
Funding for the local program is being provided through the government’s additional $176-million investment this year to help expand access for critical mental health and addictions supports during COVID-19. The investment will help address urgent gaps in care, enhance access to mental health and addictions services, create new supports, and expand programs in several priority areas
As part of this funding, the province is investing in targeted community and residential addictions services including:
- $4 million for nurse practitioners for detox services to improve the medical management of clients who are withdrawing from substance use in residential withdrawal management facilities.
- $8 million for addictions day and evening care to increase access to intensive non-residential addictions and substance use treatment services for youth and adults.
- $3.5 million for in-home/mobile withdrawal management services to increase access to community withdrawal management services for hard to service clients, including those located in rural areas.
“We made a promise to the people of Ontario to address the growing frustration with capacity issues within our mental health and addictions system,” said Associate Minister Tibollo. “Despite the additional challenges facing Ontarians during this outbreak, we are focused on increasing capacity and addressing wait times for services, so that Ontarians can get quality care and improve their quality of life.”
