The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation (CKHAF) has received a $10,000 grant to help support mental health care.
The grant, through the Chatham Kent Community Foundation, will help fund the future revitalization of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) Inpatient Mental Health Unit.
The revitalization plan includes developing therapeutic spaces where outside stimulus is eliminated.
"This specialized space will help patients reset and feel calm. It offers privacy from other patients, and provides a safe space for patients who require a decrease in stimulation," said Alan Stevenson, Vice-President, Mental Health & Addictions at CKHA.
A release from the CKHAF said that mental health illness has become prevalent in Chatham-Kent over the past few years, and has been further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with cases rising rapidly over the past 22 months.
"As we are all aware, the past two years have been very challenging for everyone in our community, which makes a program like the Inpatient Mental Health Unit Revitalization more important than ever," said Chris Pegg, Executive Director, Chatham Kent Community Foundation.
Currently, the Inpatient Mental Health Unit at the CKHA treats over 500 patients annually.
