QUEENS PARK – Politics – About six weeks ago in Thunder Bay, I had an opportunity to be part of another wonderful announcement in my home community. As most people will know, we’re currently undergoing a transformation in health care where we are very much trying to focus our resources on community supports to be able to provide people with the right care at the right time in the right place.
In that vein, on February 14 I was very happy to be part of an announcement in Thunder Bay where we announced $1 million for crisis withdrawal and stabilization services at the Balmoral Withdrawal Management Centre—a detox centre, basically. I was very pleased to be there. What this means is, we will be creating, with about $1 million in funding, 22 level-3 crisis management beds with 24-hour nursing care.
Speaker, it is hoped that by the second year of this program we’ll see a 20% reduction in mental health and addiction visits to the emergency department at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Coupled with the recently opened 132-bed supportive housing unit in Thunder Bay dealing with the alternate-level-of-care patient situation in our community. with these 22 detox beds and 132 supportive housing units, partnering with St. Joe’s, it’s my belief that we are really having an impact on the ALC population in our hospital, relieving pressure on that acute care facility and providing care for people where they really need it.
Bill Mauro MPP
