It's official.
After hosting a successful eight week pilot project at Cambridge Memorial Hospital this spring, Cambridge North Dumfires Ontario Health Teams (CND-OHT) is hoping to launch a permanent Community Mental Health and Addictions Clinic (C-MAC) later this year.
The test clinic ran from March to April 2023 at CMH, offering quick access to mental health and addictions treatment with a goal of improving patient experience while navigating treatment and easing pressures on the overburdened emergency department.
"This clinic was my first step in finally trying to learn how to manage my 40-year history of depression more effectively," says testimony from a C-MAC patient. "Please support this clinic. The need is so great as access to mental health issues is challenging, under-funded and leaves people feeling desperate. Thank you to the team who understood this initiative,"
A recent evaluation of the clinic demonstrated the program met the intended objectives and found a demonstrable need for these services in Cambridge and North Dumfries.
The evaluation reported the clinic served 123 individual clients and had 451 client encounters. It diverted 23 patients from the emergency department.
Clients were highly satisfied with their care and when visiting the clinic they received care in the right places, says a press release.
"The CND OHT extends our heartfelt thanks to the exceptional C-MAC care team and dedicated partners who helped develop and pilot this innovative clinic. The valuable insights gleaned from the evaluation will be instrumental in guiding our efforts to secure funding and relaunch the C-MAC in Cambridge," said Kristina Eliashevsky, director of CND OHT, in a press release.
Going forward, the organization is looking for sustainability funding from the province to continue the clinic, with the goal of relaunching a C-MAC in Cambridge within the year.
The CND OHT is a collaborative of over forty health and social service provider agencies from Cambridge, North Dumfries and the Waterloo Region.
Their vision is a community where people can access seamless and integrated services to ensure the health and wellbeing of diverse populations.
