A local union is giving Bluewater Health's children and adolescent mental health programs a quarter-of-a-million-dollar boost.
The Labourers' International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 1089 and its Ontario Provincial District Council is donating $250,000 over five years.
Local 1089 Business Manager Mike Maitland says it's an issue that strikes home for their membership.
"The Sarnia-Lambton community and our 900 members' children and loved ones have come to rely on the mental health care that Bluewater Health provides," says Maitland. "We're committed to working with Bluewater Health to enhance the care and services they provide for our youngest citizens. Local 1089 wants to help create a safe space for our children, youth and their families. This is why we're making this investment."
Bluewater Health Foundation Executive Director Kathy Alexander says hospitals and community organizations have been impacted by increasing numbers of young people seeking help. She says the emergency department is especially affected.
"There's been a 49% increase of young people in crisis at the emergency department over the past two years," says Alexander. "Last year alone, there were 308 children and adolescents with mental health issues who presented at Bluewater Health's Emergency Department, with more than 200 admitted to the hospital's inpatient unit."
Currently, only three of 27 beds in Bluewater Health's Inpatient Mental Health unit are designated for children and teenagers.
