The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) in Lambton-Kent has kicked in $150,000 towards the new Withdrawal Management unit at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA).
Canadian Mental Association Lambton-Kent CEO Alan Stevenson, who is also the Vice President of CKHA Mental Health and Addictions, made the announcement at the Chatham site on Friday afternoon.
Stevenson said gaps in local essential services like withdrawal management affect the entire community and he's glad those services will be available closer to home.
"When our neighbours, colleagues, friends, and family members that struggle with addictions and substance abuse disorders cannot get the care and treatment that they require, we all suffer," said Stevenson.
Clinical Supervisor of CKHA's Mental Health and Addictions Stephanie DeVito is relieved that a withdrawal management program is now in Chatham and said many struggling with addiction have expressed excitement and hope about the future.
"I have stood with individuals motivated to make a change and who have taken one of the most difficult steps of reaching out for help and I've had to tell them that there's no bed, that transportation is an issue, or that they need to leave a community that they're comfortable into access services," DeVito said.
The new 10-bed unit at the Chatham hospital provides access for individuals seeking treatment and support for any substance use disorder.
Construction of the unit should be done by the end of June, but three beds are open until then. The unit will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the Chatham Site in the former outpatient mental health services building. The Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine Clinic will move to this location once the renovations are complete. The cost of renovations is estimated to be $1.1 million.
“We are grateful to our community partners CMHA Lambton Kent for this generous donation in support of our Withdrawal Management service,” said CKHA CEO Lori Marshall. “CMHA Lambton Kent and CKHA share an established track record of success in the delivery of mental health and addictions treatment locally. We are thankful for their support towards establishing a 10-bed Withdrawal Management facility for our community.”
On Friday morning, Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton was at the Wallaceburg hospital to confirm that funding for the hospital expansion is part of the Ontario budget.