BY CAROL PHILBIN JOLETTE
The Northeast Mental Health Centre (NEMHC)
would like to respond to the letter published in Northern Life,
Jan. 22. The letter spoke to the temporary co-location of the
men's and women's withdrawal management services at the
PineGate Addiction Services site and the under-funding for
addiction services.
The NEMHC is required by the Ministry of
Health and Long-Term Care to submit a balanced budget without
compromising direct client services at the onset of every
fiscal year. As such, there have been ongoing discussions
between the regional branch of the ministry and the NEMHC
management team to review a variety of options to address
PineGate's projected deficit for 2002-2003. While the projected
deficit has been significantly reduced by a number of
strategies, PineGate continues to project a year-end deficit.
The option that was approved by the ministry was the temporary
co-location of the men's and women's withdrawal management
services for approximately 12 weeks, starting Jan. 6.
Although NEMHC would have preferred to
maintain the separation of these services, it was determined
that this option provided the best ability to maintain service
delivery while allowing PineGate to move toward a balanced
budget. It is NEMHC's intention to return to the two sites
possibly before the end of the twelve-week term.
NEMHC is fully committed to the long-term
viability of the men's and women's withdrawal management
programs. As such, a process has been initiated to identify a
long-term plan for both programs. The ministry has approved a
capital funding project to review the men's and women's
management withdrawal program and identify strategies that will
ensure long-term viability.
A request for proposal was issued last
December and a consulting firm will be hired in the near future
to lead the project.
The financial situation as it relates to the
men's and women's withdrawal management services is not unknown
to other services in the province. There are discussions at the
provincial level in this regard. The need for additional
funding has been identified in a report from the Ontario
Federation of Community Mental Health and Addiction Programs,
dated Jan. 27. The federation and its 216 members are calling
on the Ontario government to allocate $120 million to mental
health and addiction services.
Carol Philbin Jolette
Director of communications
Northeast Mental Health Centre
Sudbury