Ontario plans to create a “Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence”. What would you like to see in the Centre?

From the law: The Centre shall put the mental health strategy into action, create standards, measure standards and provide “resources and support to health service providers, integrated care delivery systems and others related to mental health and addictions”. Could this mean money for services that service users want funded, including community mental health and addiction organizations?

More from the

• Press Release about the law Press Release about the law [Note MPP  Robin Martin is from Toronto and she is the Parliamentary assistant for Health and Long Term care. She might want to hear from you. Email robin.martin@pc.ola.org
• Text of the Law: Foundations for Promoting and Protecting Mental Health and Addictions Services Act, 2019.

Mental health and addictions strategy

3  The Minister shall develop and maintain a mental health and addictions strategy which recognizes that mental health and addictions care is a core component of an integrated health care system.

Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence

4  (1)  Ontario Health shall establish and maintain, within Ontario Health, a centre to be known as the Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence in English and Centre d’excellence pour la santé mentale et la lutte contre les dépendances in French.

Functions

(2)  In furtherance of Ontario Health’s objects as set out in section 6 of the Connecting Care Act, 2019, Ontario Health shall carry out the following functions through its Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence:

   1.  Putting into operation the mental health and addictions strategy.

   2.  Developing clinical, quality and service standards for mental health and addictions.

   3.  Monitoring metrics related to the performance of the mental health and addictions system.

   4.  Providing resources and support to health service providers, integrated care delivery systems and others related to mental health and addictions.

   5.  Any other functions that the Minister may direct.

Compliance with regulations

(3)  Ontario Health shall comply with the requirements, if any, provided for in the regulations with respect to its Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence.