NEWS RELEASE
STONEHENGE THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY
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Guelph-based Stonehenge Therapeutic Community (Stonehenge) has received more than $900,000 in funding from Ontario Health to lead enhanced addiction services, including a mobile Rapid Access Addiction Clinic (RAAC) van to meet the unique needs of clients in rural Wellington.
“Having the RAAC’s services in rural Wellington will have a significant impact for our residents who are seeking support with substance use as the rural experience is different than the urban one. Not only will this provide quick access by reducing transportation barriers, it simplifies the entire experience for the individual seeking help. These partnerships and collaborative efforts between primary care and addictions programs are very much needed in rural Wellington,” says the Elsa Mann, Rural Wellington Community Team Lead.
The funding includes $810,000 to increase access to nurse practitioners through both residential withdrawal management and the RAACs. The addition of nurse practitioners to these services will enhance options and increase accessibility of withdrawal services across Waterloo Wellington. Services will be delivered in partnership with Waterloo Region Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, Grand River Hospital, and House of Friendship.
“This is a meaningful investment that will allow for better health equity for residents in our region,” says Kristin Kerr, Executive Director of Stonehenge. “With a mobile clinic, we will be able to literally meet people where they are at by bringing a fuller slate of addiction services to them, and break down barriers to accessing addiction medical services.”
Waterloo Wellington has four RAACs; located in Guelph, Elora, Kitchener, and Cambridge. Rural residents are currently required to travel to those clinics to access full services. With the new mobile RAAC van, rural residents will have access to counselling, referrals, and harm reduction services. Most significantly, they will have access to addiction medical services provided by a nurse practitioner.
“The compassion, understanding of how life experience shapes response, and the sound scientific approach that characterizes nurse practitioner (NP) practice is the foundation of success of the NP role in our RAAC teams,” says Paula Carere, Clinical Lead for the WRNPLC. “We know a gap exists for rural residents, and we are so excited to work with our health care partners to deliver these services to a greater number of people.”
The mobile clinic will operate five days a week out of a mobile clinic van, and will travel to a variety of locations across rural Wellington. This van will provide space for the nurse practitioner and counsellor to meet with clients, while providing greater anonymity than may be found in community clinics. Stonehenge’s goal is to have the mobile clinic up and running in early 2021.
In addition to the NP and RAAC funding, Ontario Health has also invested $100,000 to be used in partnership with the County of Wellington to increase capacity for Stonehenge’s Supportive Addiction & Mental Health Housing Program.
“Supportive housing plays an important role in increasing the health and social outcomes of people by providing stable housing and support that meets their unique addiction and mental health needs,” says Kerr. “With this funding, we open up approximately eight additional places in this program.”
The total funding of $910,000 from Ontario health is part of the Ontario government’s recent $176 million investment to expand access to critical services to build a modern, comprehensive and connected Addiction and Mental Health system.
“As we move forward with Roadmap to Wellness – our plan to build a comprehensive and connected mental health and addictions system -- we will continue listening and working with our partners across the sector," said Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.
"Our overriding priority will always be to ensure every Ontarian can receive the high quality care they expect and deserve. I applaud Stonehenge on their invaluable work towards strengthening local mental health and addictions supports, so that people and families who need the extra help can access the most appropriate services to meet their needs."
For more information on Rapid Access Addiction Clinics: http://raacww.ca/
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