Latest news with #andAddictionRecoveryTreatment
CBC
27-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
London's HART Hub won't open April 1, operators awaiting provincial funding
The opening of a provincial Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub in London, initially slated for next week, has been delayed as its operators say they're still ironing out the final details with the Ontario government. Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced in London on Jan. 27, that 18 new HART Hubs would open across the province by Apr. 1, including a London location operated by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Thames Valley. However, a CMHA Thames Valley spokesperson said the organization doesn't have a clear timeline for when the province will release funding for the hub and when the facility will open. "The Ontario Government did announce the intended open dates were Apr. 1, but with the [provincial] election having been called, there is no movement on that until they're sitting again, which is later in April," Jillian Driessen wrote in an email to CBC News. "We are hoping to get a more clear timeline on when funding will be released. For now, we are working on the preparations we can and will be opening as soon as possible, but we are waiting on direction from the Ministry." Premier Doug Ford called a snap election two days after the announcement on Jan. 29. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said the government is working with the 18 HART Hubs partners on their operational budgets, adding that funding that's already been earmarked for projects is not impacted by when the legislature resumes on Apr. 14. "Our government is continuing to work with the remaining HART Hubs to bring new, safe, and comprehensive mental health, social, and addiction services, as well as supportive housing units, to 18 communities across the province, as soon as possible," said Hannah Jensen. Jensen said the nine transitioning HART Hubs, which were former supervised drug injection sites, will open as planned on Apr. 1. The province ordered those sites to close by Mar. 31 as they were within 200 metres of schools and daycares. London's supervised injection sites did not fall within that perimeter, and CMHA Thames Valley was awarded approximately $6 million per year to open a new hub after applying for it in September. Last month, the organization's vice president, Dean Astolfi said the hub will operate out of the Salvation Army's Centre of Hope in downtown London, and 33 new beds will be available right away, with the goal of having 60 beds total. "We're getting the 33 off the ground right away and quickly turning over the other beds through the recovery centre that exists at Salvation Army," Astolfi said in February. An additional 60 supportive housing units will also be created in the first year, officials said. Existing facilities at the Centre of Hope, which already operates an emergency shelter, warm meals, withdrawal management and recovery support, will be used to help people who need help with their mental health and substance use disorders. The province is spending $529 million for the 27 HART Hubs across Ontario.
CBC
22-02-2025
- Health
- CBC
Cochrane District Services Board to turn old Timmins hotel into seniors housing
The Cochrane District Services Board will turn the old Ramada Inn in Timmins into a seniors housing complex – now that the province has overlooked the city for funding for a Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) hub. The board revealed the move on Thursday. It had purchased the hotel on Riverside Drive in the fall of last year in partnership with the Mushkegowuk Council, Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and Timmins and District Hospital in hopes of landing provincial dollars for an addictions treatment centre and withdrawal management program. But Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced a final round of HART hub funding recipients in January, and Timmins wasn't on the list. "The intent was always, when we purchased the building, to have alternative uses," said Jean Carriere, the board's director of health. "This was always an option – not something we made public or discussed in the public because the intent was always a wellness centre or HART hub. But we wanted to make sure that, you know, by purchasing the building, we did have other uses lined up for it." Cochrane district has more than 880 seniors on its housing wait list, according to a news release from the board. Building in good shape, board says The new facility will offer around 100 spaces for seniors. It will be similar to Cadence Residence in Cochrane or Spruce Hill Lodge in Timmins, Carriere said. The residence, which is set to open late this year or early in 2026, will feature bachelor suites and some slightly larger units and offer light meals, housekeeping and recreational activities. Six to eight of the suites will be accessible, Carriere said, five will have kitchenettes, and a couple will have full kitchens. He couldn't say how much it would cost to convert the hotel into the seniors complex, but he said the building is in good condition. He estimated the immediate cost of repairs and renovations at $1.2 million. The units will not be priced affordably for low-income seniors, Carriere said, but they could free up homes for those on low incomes as people sell their houses and move into the new suites. "We'll meet some of the needs in the area and may help address some of the homeless issues," he said. Ontario began funding HART hubs late last year after announcing in August that it was banning consumption and treatment services (CTS) sites – sometimes known as supervised consumption facilities – within 200 metres of schools and childcare centres, a move that effectively outlawed nearly all of the existing sites. HART hubs offer different combinations of shelter beds, addiction treatment services, mental health care, primary medical care and access to other services. The province didn't provide Timmins with any explanation for its exclusion from the funding, Carriere said, adding he thought the city's application was a strong one. "There's a huge need, he said. "I mean, considering with the new data that just came out that Timmins is now second per capita when it comes to opiate deaths. ... Timmins, we thought, had a very, very good application. If you compare it to some of the other HART hubs that have been allocated, Sudbury for example is proposing 40 beds. We were proposing 100 rooms. We also are the only HART hub applicant that had multiple districts."
CBC
29-01-2025
- Health
- CBC
Here's what to know about Greater Sudbury's homelessness and addiction treatment hub
The City of Greater Sudbury has released more information on how it will address addiction and homelessness by creating a new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) hub. The initiative is part of a $529-million provincial commitment to establish 27 HART hubs across Ontario. It aims to build safer communities and improve access to mental health and addiction services. Greater Sudbury's hub will be located on Lorraine Street, a site that has faced delays and challenges. It is currently set to open in April 2025. The project has a fixed cost of $14.4 million. Speaking about the announcement, Deputy Premier and Health Minister Sylvia Jones said, "Our government is helping more people get the treatment and support they need, when and where they need it, by taking the next step to improve access to mental health and addictions services." Sudbury's HART hub will provide wraparound services, including primary care, mental health and addiction treatment, supportive housing, and employment programs. A team from Health Sciences North will run these. The facility will house up to 40 people at a time, who will be selected from the city's list of people experiencing homelessness. Tyler Campbell, director of children and social services for the City of Greater Sudbury, called the funding a "game changer" for the community. "It allows us to meet clients where they're at," he said. "It allows for 24-hour supportive housing in place for individuals with their self-contained unit. It allows them to get stabilized and ready for the transition into our community-based housing." Campbell explained that residents of the hub will stay for up to 18 months and will have access to services such as addiction support, nursing care and mental health assistance. "There are 40 one-bedroom units within the building and three programming areas that will offer programming for the occupants that reside here," explained Cindy Briscoe, the city's manager of housing services. Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre praised the announcement, noting that council has been advocating for funding for several years. "This part allows us to break that cycle to ensure that we're giving those wrap-around services to get healthier and better, as well as get the skills to be able to reintegrate into the community," Lefebvre said. The Lorraine Street site has had a troubled history. The transitional housing project faced delays after its initial contractor, Nomodic Modular Structures Inc., declared bankruptcy in October 2023. Construction halted for nearly two months before Flex Modular was named the new contractor in December of 2023. Adding to the challenges, the city fell victim to a $1.5-million email fraud scheme, though more than $1 million has been recovered through the courts. According to Briscoe, the matter is still in front of the courts and the total restitution cannot be revealed. The province selected Sudbury's HART hub location through a call for proposals last summer. Similar hubs elsewhere in Ontario have shown success in addressing complex needs. Notably, nine supervised consumption sites in cities such as Toronto, Ottawa and Thunder Bay that are near schools or licensed childcare centres will transition into HART hubs. The hubs will not offer supervised consumption services. As Sudbury's HART hub nears completion, Lefebvre says it will provide crucial support for vulnerable populations, but he acknowledges the work is far from over. "This is part of the solution, but it's not the only solution," he said. "We're certainly happy and we want to recognize the province's efforts in making this happen and that they listened. We've been advocating for this. So we're really delighted to see this move forward. But we're not done." The HART Hub on Lorraine Street will be one of several such facilities in northeastern Ontario. The Canadian Mental Health Association Sault Ste. Marie will be in charge of another hub. Maamwesying North Shore Community Health Services will lead an Indigenous-led HART hub with several sites along the north shore of Lake Huron. The cities of Timmins and North Bay are not on the list to receive a hub.
CBC
27-01-2025
- Health
- CBC
CMHA Thames Valley to open new HART hub location in London with 60 beds in spring
The Ontario government announced Monday that it will open 18 new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) hubs across the province, including one in London, by April 1. The London hub will be operated by Canadian Mental Health Association Thames Valley, Ontario's largest branch of the organization. It will have 60 beds at a location that hasn't yet been finalized, plus another 60 beds scattered across existing shelters throughout the city. "All Ontarians, including those struggling with mental health and addiction challenges deserve convenient access to care, to support, to resources and treatment options," Health Minister Sylvia Jones said at an announcement at CMHA's office in London. The 18 hubs are an addition to the nine existing locations, which were former supervised consumption sites that transitioned into hubs after they were closed due to their proximity to schools and daycare centres. The total 27 hubs will be funded through a $529 million investment. CMHA Thames Valley submitted its proposal to open a HART hub in September, one month after the province announced the move to close supervised consumption sites and needle exchanges within 200 metres of schools and childcare centres. HART hubs resemble existing hub models, including two in London, and will connect people with complex mental health and addictions needs to comprehensive treatment and preventative services such as primary care, mental health services, addictions care, social services and employment support. The provincial hubs will have similar services to the Youth Opportunities Unlimited hub and Atlohsa's hub at Parkwood Institute for Indigenous people. "I'm so thrilled that through HART hub funding, there will be a place for clients to have wraparound supports on their journey to wellness," said the local CMHA branch's CEO Pam Tobin. "Projects are already underway that will continue to expand capacity of London's supportive housing units and affordable housing to ensure clients have a pathway to long-term sustainable housing solutions." The province estimates hubs will add 540 highly supportive housing units across all 27 HART hubs, in addition to addiction recovery and treatment beds, said Jones. The 18 new HART Hubs that have been approved by the province are: Fourcast – Four Counties Addictions Services Team (Peterborough). CMHA Peel Dufferin (Brampton). Health Sciences North/ Horizon Santé Nord (Greater Sudbury). The HART of Simcoe (Barrie). Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare (Windsor). CMHA Hastings and Prince Edward County (Belleville). Durham Community Health Centre (Oshawa). CMHA Thames Valley (London). CMHA Algoma (Sault Ste. Marie). Services and Housing in Province (Dufferin County). Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Addictions and Mental Health (Lanark, Leeds and Grenville). Oxford Ontario Health Team (Oxford County). County of Renfrew (Renfrew County). Gateway of Niagara (Niagara). CMHA Lambton Kent Sarnia (Sarnia). Pinecrest Queensway Community Health Centre (Ottawa). Kenora Chiefs Advisory (Kenora). Maamwesying (Sault Ste. Marie).
