London's 'game changer' mental health-care model inspires revisioned plan in Windsor

Just two hours up Highway401 from Windsor, Ont.,there's amental health and addictions crisis centre that is a "game changer" for the London community.

Now, a Windsor hospital is eyeingthe samemodel as it plans to re-submit a proposal to the province after itsoriginal one was turned down.

Since 2015, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Thames Valley branch has operated a 24/7 crisis centre whereanyone with mental health or addictions issues can walk in, 365 days a year.

And in 2020, Ontario legislation allowed paramedics to drop off those patients, giving themaccesstospecialized servicesin onelocation.

The goal wastoalleviate overburdened emergency rooms and gets first responders back on the road faster.

"I think that this has been a game changer for our community," said Lori Griffith, director of crisis and access at the CMHA in London.

"Obviously when you're new coming into the system it can be challenging to navigate. So the crisis centre also can help support that acute crisis but then also look at a system navigation piece in terms of connection, referral to other resources."

Htel-Dieu Grace Healthcare(HDGH)is looking to construct a similar model.The hospitalsaid it will fill a gap in the overnight hours for mental health and addiction support.

"If an emergency room is the only option for an individual in crisis ... this is a better option because it is purposely designed and modelled to deal with that specific need," said Bill Marra, CEO and president of HDGH.

"Frankly, it's a more civilized, humane way to deal with individuals who are dealing with these crisis. That's fundamentally also important here. We can't lose sight of that fact."

Original plan not approved by Ontario Health

In January, HDGH'sproposal was deniedbyOntario Health a government agency tasked with overseeing health-care planning and delivery.

That plan, supported by six other community partners, would have seen a mental health and addictions emergency roomopened at the hospital'swest end campus in about two months.

And, that would have been a location for police and paramedics to drop off patients in crisis.

Currently, the only place for that to happen is a traditional hospital emergency room, where those first responders can be tied up for several hours waiting to offload.

An Ontario Health spokesperson told CBC News in an email it provided detailed feedback to HDGH as to why it wasn't successful in its bid.

"Critical to this process is a review of existing community resources and collaboration between hospitals, Ontario Health Teams, and local community health service providers to ensure resources are best used to meet the needs of the community," said an Ontario Health spokesperson intheemail statement.

"To date, these key requirements, including the submission of a comprehensive proposal, have not been received by Ontario Health."

Marra said his interpretation of thestatement was the previous plan wasn't "comprehensive" enough.

Now, he said he will once again speak with community partners andplansto submit a revised version to Ontario Health for consideration.

Police ask health-care sector to do more

Windsor's police chief, Jason Bellaire, has previously called forbetter mental health supports in the community saying many calls of this nature often end up in the laps of front line officers.

Last month, the Windsor Police Services Board passed a resolution, calling on other agencies to step up and better support peoplestruggling with mental illness in the community.

In London, they've had a 24/7 mental health and addiction crisis centre open365 days a year since 2015.

Mental health waits much lower than traditional ER

Anyone in crisis can walk through the front doors in London into a bright, colourful waiting room, not an areathat feels "institutional."

Officials say people are often seen almost immediately. But if there is a wait, it likely wouldn'tbe longer than 60 to 90 minutes before they're assessed.

That's a stark comparison to wait times at Windsor Regional Hospital, which have been the highest in the province.

In May, the average wait to see an emergency room doctor at Windsor's Met Campus was4.6 hours compared to the provincial average of two hours, according to Ontario data.

London paramedics back on road within 10 minutes

In the back ofthe Londoncrisis centre, run by CMHA'sThames Valley branch, is a designated area for an ambulanceto drop people off.

Paramedics are usually in and out within 10 minutes, according to officials.

By contrast,paramedicscan sometimes spend an entire shift waiting to offload a patient at Windsor Regional Hospital.

Essex Windsor EMS chief Bruce Krauter previously told CBC News about onepatient being on an ambulance stretcher for24 hours waiting to be admitted.

WATCH | Take a tour of London's mental health and addictions crisis centre

Why this mental health and addictions crisis centre in London is being called a 'game changer'

1 year ago

Duration 5:41

Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare in Windsor is looking at what's happening in London as it plans to re-submit a proposal to drastically change mental health and addictions services in Windsor-Essex. Lori Griffith is the director of crisis and access at the Canadian Mental Health Association Thames Valley branch and provided CBC News a tour of the facility that's been open since 2015.

There has been strong support for the Londoncrisis centre from local police, paramedics and the London Health Sciences Centre.

HDGH said its initial plan had support from Windsor police, LaSalle police, OPP, Essex-Windsor EMS and CMHA Windsor-Essex County. The London Health Sciences Centre also reviewed and signed off on theplan.

Now, HDGH leaders say they will reconnect with those partners and others to find a plan that works best for the entire community.

CBC News asked Windsor Regional Hospital if it supported the plan. The hospital responded with an emailed statement.

"We suggest you talk to Ontario Health to receive comment on the previously provided feedback to HDGH," said Steve Erwin, a spokesperson for Windsor Regional Hospital.

Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie said collaboration is an important piece of the Windsorplan.

"I'm going to go to bat for health-care in our community every step of the way on the proposals they agree on are thepriorities for us," said Dowie.

"But I do need for the partners of the Ontario Health Team of Windsor-Essex to collaborate on a solution for mental health."

Current mental health resources

In addition to HDGH'smental health plan, there are other local initiativesthat already exist:

• In May, a pilot project began pairing a Windsor Regional Hospital nurse with a police officer to offer substance-related care in the community
• In 2020, HDGH partnered with the local CMHA to open the the Safe Bed Short-Term Residential Crisis Housing Program, which helps people who are homeless and have mental health or drug issues
• HDGHpartners with police agencies with itsCommunity Outreach and Support Team (COAST) program andWindsor Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT)
• There's also a the Youth Crisis Response Team, a partnership between HDGH and Essex County OPP focusing on helping youth with mental health-related concerns
• HDGHalso operates a mental health crisis centre from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week at 744 Ouellette Avenue.

But one of the gaps identified by local service providers and Windsor police was a place for people in crisis in the overnight hours that isn't a traditional, and already busy, emergency department.

Marrasaid the hospitalwillsubmit a revised version of the plan in Septemberto expand mental health and addiction services inWindsor-Essex and hopes to get a response from Ontario Health that same month.

According to Marra, HDGH could get one up and running in about 60 days, whilea more permanent solution would take six to seven years.

Last month, HDGH announced it submitted stage 1.3 of its mental health bed expansion project. Among the changes, 68 acute mental health beds will move from Windsor Regional Hospital to HDGH, andopen an urgent psychiatric crisis service and other programs.