CKHA opens outpatient office for mental health

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Dr. Rizwan Rafiq, Chief of Psychiatry and Medical Director Mental Health Services, CKHA; Alan Stevenson, CEO, CMHA LK; Mariusz (last name withheld), Patient Advisor, CKHA; and Lori Marshall, President and CEO, CKHA, cut ribbon for CKHA’s relocated Outpatient Mental Health and Addictions Programs.

Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA), along with the Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton Kent (CMHA LK), celebrated Mental Health Week with the official opening of CKHA’s Outpatient Mental Health and Additions Services at 240 Grand Ave. W. recently.

It’s CMHA LK’s current location.

CKHA’s Outpatient Mental Health and Addiction Programs moved to the new location in mid-March with the aim to provide more streamlined and convenient access to mental health care in Chatham-Kent.

CKHA and CMHA LK leadership, staff, physicians and patients gathered recently to recognize the significance of the move with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Mental Health Week provides an excellent opportunity to discuss mental health in our community and to celebrate the remarkable work of our interdisciplinary mental health care teams,” Lori Marshall, President and CEO, CKHA, said in a release. “Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton-Kent is a valuable partner of CKHA and our co-location at 240 Grand Ave. W. provides our community with more convenient access to mental health care in Chatham-Kent. Co-location also provides the opportunity for our teams to learn from one another which will benefit patients and families.

“We are delighted to kick off Mental Health Week here in Chatham-Kent by bringing together programs and services operated by CKHA and CMHA under one roof. By working together, we are making services more accessible and responsive for people who need support in Chatham-Kent,” said Alan Stevenson, CEO, CMHA LK.

The relocation saw all outpatient mental health and addiction services previously located at CKHA’s Chatham site moved to 240 Grand Ave. W.

Programs available through CKHA’s mental health services include: Mental Health Counseling and Treatment; Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic; Early Psychosis Intervention Program – Today Not Tomorrow (TNT); Psychogeriatric Mental Health Outreach Team (PMHOT); Addictions Assessment; Treatment and Referral Program; Concurrent Disorders Program; Problem Gambling; and Eating Disorders. CKHA continues to provide mental health emergency services and inpatient care for those who require hospital-based services.

“Our mental health is as important as our physical health. Partnerships and collaborations such as this are important to providing a seamless continuum of care to our patients,” said Dr. Rizwan Rafiq, Chief of Psychiatry and Medical Director Mental Health Services, CKHA. “There is no health without mental health and the streamlined processes made possible with the shared location have allowed us to serve patients more effectively.”

 

“I know firsthand that it takes a team to help someone with mental health problems. My life, and the lives of so many people, is better because of the nurses, doctors, support staff and volunteers who help us on our path of healing,” said Mariusz (last name withheld), Patient Advisor, CKHA. “I deeply appreciate all of their efforts to help patients get better and I am thankful that having CKHA and CMHA in the same building has made it easier for patients and their families to get the help they need.”

Mental Health Week, which took place from May 7 to 13 this year, is a Canada-wide initiative spearheaded by CMHA.

This year’s Mental Health Week campaign aimed to raise awareness and to end the discrimination, stigma and shame surrounding mental illness. CMHA hopes to educate Canadians about what mental health really is and to encourage Canadians to #GetLoud. For tips on how to keep your mental health strong, please visit, www.mentalhealthweek.ca.

For more information on Mental Health and Addiction services available through the CKHA please visit, www.ckha.on.ca. In the event of a mental health emergency, individuals are encouraged to call 1-866-299-7447 to speak to a Mental Health First Response Team Member, visit the nearest Emergency Room or dial 911 for emergency assistance.

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