St. Joe’s receives funding to develop new mental health program
The Ontario ministries of Community Safety and Correctional Services and Ministry of Health and Long Term Care announced funding for the development of two pilot programs to provide specialty psychiatric beds for acutely ill inmates who have needs that are too complex for general hospitals. We are pleased to announce that St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton has been selected as one of two provincial facilities.
While the details have yet to be worked out, we know that we have four beds for this service. Patients will be those with severe mental illness who are currently incarcerated in correctional facilities. They will receive treatment and return to those facilities.
St. Joseph’s Mental Health and Addiction Program (MHAP) was chosen because we already treat and have the expertise in this patient population.
We will be working closely with all sectors to ensure the appropriate care and safety in design of the program for best treatment for patients and safety of our staff.
We are pleased that the Ministries have chosen to take this progressive move to reduce the number of individuals with mental illness in correctional facilities who are not receiving treatment, but who will now have the opportunity within a facility that specializes in mental health care for this population.
St. Joseph’s MHAP leaders will be working with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Correctional Services to work out the clinical details of this service. We will be developing the model in collaboration with the forensic team.