County council backs mental-health initiatives
County councillors reaffirmed their support Wednesday for an expansion of mental health and addiction programs to serve Windsor and Essex County. Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare president and CEO Janice Kaffer told councillors that representatives recently requested funding from the province for two initiatives — a proposed mental health emergency department and an expansion of neuro-behavioural outreach programs.
Kaffer said the outreach program would work in conjunction with emergency medical services’ vulnerable patient navigators program and to facilitate earlier transfer into long-term care for seniors who can’t get placed because of behavioural issues.
She said 70 to 80 per cent of patients who attend emergency departments for mental health issues are not admitted to hospital.
“They could be and should be more expeditiously cared for in a patient-centred and specialized area that deals with mental health clients,” Kaffer said.
Bill Marra, vice-president, external affairs and executive director, said HDGH is ready to take the lead now and not wait for the proposed single-site hospital plan, which includes investment in other medical facilities, to be approved.
“What we’ve heard from the community is that we can’t wait seven to 10 years for mental health improvements so we’re starting to build that integrated system now,” Kaffer said.
Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara encouraged county mayors and councils to continue to pressure the province to provide funding.
Kaffer said the estimated cost is less than $8 million for both capital and operating expenses for the two initiatives.
Meanwhile, council awarded Front Construction the tender for rehabilitation work on the County Road 14 bridge over the Ruscom River in Kingsville. Front Construction’s $442,900 bid was more than $200,000 less that the engineer’s estimate of $652,000 for the work and $90,000 less that its nearest competitor. County engineer Tom Bateman said 14 firms met the pre-qualification requirements for the bid and were asked to submit e-tenders for the project. Six provided bids. The work will require the full closure of County Road 14, from County Road 27 to Highway 77, for approximately three months starting early in March.
The county will also begin charging a $125 application fee for anyone wanting to file a request for an integrity commissioner investigation and a $25 service fee for a request for a closed meeting investigation.
The integrity commissioner fee is refundable upon verification from the commissioner that the request was not frivolous or vexatious.
Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos sat in the warden’s chair at Wednesday’s meeting due to the absence of both Warden Tom Bain and Deputy Warden Ken Antaya.