Latest news with #fundingdelay
CTV News
4 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
CMHA Algoma awaits provincial HART Hub funding 6 months after announcement
CMHA Algoma awaits provincial funding letter for Sault Ste. Marie's HART Hub six months after the announcement. Six months after Sault Ste. Marie was named one of 28 communities set to receive a share of nearly $500 million in provincial funding for homelessness and addiction treatment, no money has been transferred. The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Algoma, the designated service provider for the local Homelessness & Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub, says it is still waiting for the official funding letter outlining the terms and conditions. Community Resource Centre The exterior of Canadian Mental Health Association Algoma's Community Resource Centre on July 25, 2025. (Cory Nordstrom/CTV News Northern Ontario) Funding delay frustrates progress Lisa Case, CEO of CMHA Algoma, expressed cautious optimism about the situation. 'I think we're very close. I hope we're very close,' she said. Despite the lack of confirmed funding, Case emphasized that her team has remained proactive. Lisa Case Lisa Case, the CEO of Canadian Mental Health Association Algoma, speaks with CTV News on July 25, 2025. (Cory Nordstrom/CTV News Northern Ontario) 'Our team is as ready as we can be with the information that we have so far. We are working actively on finalizing job descriptions, service agreements, training, education, service pathways and what those will look like and how they may change,' she said. While some staff are already undergoing training for new roles within the HART Hub, Case noted that additional hiring will be necessary once funding is secured. Multi-faceted approach to homelessness and addiction Each HART Hub service provider will address homelessness and addiction through tailored strategies. Case stated that CMHA Algoma's comprehensive plans will allow them to act swiftly once funding arrives. 'Part of our proposal is to be able to enhance the services that we already have in our offering,' she said. 'By doing that, we will be able to free up some additional funds in the system with another partner to create more supports in our community. That's going to be tied to both the community safety and well-being plan and the homelessness plan in our community.' Key components of the proposal include restructuring operations at the Community Resource Centre, relocating the low-barrier shelter and adding 50 new supportive housing units. 'Not just housing, but with supports, with case management, housing outreach, mental health and addictions counselling, addiction medicine, a bit of primary care as well,' Case elaborated. Collaboration across northern Ontario While awaiting provincial confirmation, CMHA Algoma has been leveraging partnerships to prepare for implementation. 'CMHAs across the province that are lead agencies for the HART Hubs – we have a community of practice. We meet regularly to discuss everything from site planning, job descriptions, recruitment, training, service models, pathways—the whole bit,' Case said. She also highlighted coordination with other northern Ontario HART Hubs through a separate pan-Northern community of practice. Additionally, CMHA Algoma maintains near-daily communication with Health Sciences North in Greater Sudbury and Mamaweswen leadership, though both organizations are also awaiting formal funding letters from the province. Health Sciences North moves forward, Mamaweswen silent Sudbury's Lorraine Street Project, part of its HART Hub application, opened this week. However, Health Sciences North officials did not clarify whether the launch was connected to HART Hub funding. Meanwhile, Mamaweswen leadership did not respond to requests for comment. 'Chomping at the bit' As the province finalizes funding agreements, CMHA Algoma remains poised to act. 'We're chomping at the bit to move this forward,' Case reiterated, underscoring the urgency of addressing homelessness and addiction in Sault Ste. Marie.
Irish Times
10-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
No money yet released from €8m special needs funds despite Tanáiste's pledges
No money has yet been released from an €8 million Health Service Executive fund for families of children with special needs. The news comes 20 months after the grant was launched and three months after delays were highlighted in the Dáil when Tánaiste Simon Harris pledged to ensure it would be paid. Sinn Féin finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said the 52 organisations, including four in Donegal , due to benefit from the fund for essential therapies, have now been asked to reapply. He said there was no guarantee they would receive the grant. The Donegal TD said parents were 'seething at what is happening here'. When Mr Doherty raised the issue in the Dáil in March, Mr Harris pledged the funding would be provided and expressed regret it had taken so long. READ MORE The funding for essential therapies for children with additional needs was promised in 2023 and then re-announced a year later. A nine-year-old Donegal boy, Jack McGahern Donaghey, who has cerebral palsy,uses a wheelchair and needs physiotherapy and speech and language therapy, took part in a photograph with ministers in 2024. In March 2025, when no funding had been released, his mother, Denise McGahern, said she felt her son had been used as a 'prop in a photo opportunity'. In the Dáil on Thursday, Mr Doherty told the Tánaiste 'despite your promises, here we are three months on and still no funding being released'. He said 'ministers of your previous cabinet went to Donegal, announced specific money, multiannual money for these projects'. 'You promised that you would make sure that it was being provided. Not just that it was sanctioned and released, but that it was being provided. None of these groups have got it.' One organisation had been promised €3 million over a three-year period, he added. But, holding up a letter the organisations had received, he said: 'They've been told that they have to reapply for shortlisting, that the funding is no longer multiannual. 'The fund needs to be spent by the end of the year. They only have to the end of the year to spend money, but you haven't even given it yet.' Mr Harris said that on March 25th this year the Department of Children, Disability and Equality secured sanction for the €8 million grant fund to come from the €3.2 billion disability services budget. 'So from the Government's point of view, once it was sanctioned, we expected it to start to be spent, to start being drawn down in light of what you brought to my attention.' He said he had followed it up and this week he was told 'there was some final compliance and governance issues in relation to some projects'. The Tánaiste said: 'It would be useful if we take the Donegal projects as an example to convene a meeting next week of our office members with the relevant HSE and departmental officials.' He would undertake to get that in place and would talk to Minister for Disability Norma Foley on the issue on Thursday. 'From the Government's perspective, the funding has now been allocated and the funding now needs to be spent quickly' for the benefit of the children.
