Brightshores Health System celebrated a ribbon-cutting for the newly expanded Crisis Support Program at the Owen Sound Hospital.
Shannon Reinelt, Manager of Mental Health and Addictions at Brightshores, says the Crisis Support Program is a vital service and explains what it does.
"It is a short-stay unit that is specifically designed to support patients who are presenting to hospital in a mental health crisis. So it provides a safe environment, it's staffed 24/7, which is supported by a psychiatrist, specially trained mental health staff, peer support workers, family support workers and a nursing coordinator," Reinelt explained. "The goal is providing support to patients for quick intervention, medication starts, any sort of coping strategies or mental health interventions that could help facilitate recovery focused support and referrals back into our community, so patients can return home feeling better."
Reinelt says the new expansion, unveiled on December 19, features some major upgrades over the old area.
"With the expansion, we've now added 4 individual rooms along with the current space, and we've also now incorporated washrooms within the space, a shower, proper hand-washing stations. The lighting is much more therapeutic. We have an LED skylight in the middle as a centrepiece that provides more therapeutic lighting," shared Reinelt. "So there's increased privacy, not only with the individual rooms, but we also have a psychiatrist's assessment office embedded in the space, and crisis assessment options in the space, which really helps reduce wait times in our emergency department, and speeds up the ability to connect with crisis workers and have a crisis assessment to facilitate better access, as well, for patients."
If anyone is curious and wants to learn more, there is an easy way to find out more about the expansion and the services for mental health available from Brightshores.
"The best place that they can access that information would be our website. We do have a mental health and addictions directory, that highlights not only these services, but also the many outpatient supports and services that we provide. So there's lots of information about how people can access those services, and get quicker access to support," Reinelt concluded.
This new outpatient program operates 24/7, adjacent to the Owen Sound Emergency Department.
“Completing the construction of our CSP space is incredibly exciting for our Mental Health team. This expansion will allow for greater access to care and improve patient flow as well as decrease Emergency Department wait times. The program will help with early intervention and provide valuable resources to our Emergency Services.” shared Brightshores’ President and CEO, Ann Ford.
The services available in the CSP include crisis support, intervention, and health teaching.
“We have a multidisciplinary team, made up of nurses, mental health staff, and psychiatrists. Our team will work together to increase our capacity for rapid access to recovery-focused crisis support and therapeutic interventions. Our focus is improving patient care and access to mental health supports," added Naomi Vodden, Brightshores Director of Mental Health and Addictions.
Resources and help are available at https://www.brightshores.ca/mental-health-addiction-services/.
