By Staff
January 16th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
From left to right: Joseph Brant Hospital CEO Eric Vandewall, Michael Paletta, Laura Paletta and Anissa Hilborn, Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation President & CEO.
“Our family has felt firsthand the impact of mental illness, and understands the value of innovative and lifesaving care,” said Michael. “Laura and I firmly believe that this campaign has the ability to transform lives and help make Joseph Brant Hospital a world-class provider of mental health and addictions care right here in Burlington.”
This gift recognizes an urgent and growing need to redevelop JBH’s Mental Health and Addictions (MHA) program space to create therapeutic facilities that ensure a dignified, respectful, person-centred experience.
The three core elements of the redevelopment project include a relocation and expansion of the Inpatient Mental Health and Addictions Unit with the addition of a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), a relocation of some of the Outpatient Mental Health Unit, and the addition of a new Child and Youth Mental Health Day Hospital.
“We are truly honoured and grateful to have received this gift. Michael and Laura’s support, passion and commitment to improving mental health and addictions care in our community is inspiring,” said Anissa Hilborn, Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation President & CEO. “In recognition of this transformational gift, once complete the new unit will be named the Michael & Laura Paletta Mental Health & Addictions Unit.”
Mental illness affects all Canadians at some time either through their own experience, or that of a family member, friend or colleague. In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health illness, and by age 40, about 50% of the population will have had or being living with a mental illness.
JBH has a vision to build a modern, person-centred facility that is purposefully designed to instill hope and support healing, and that is consistent with the program philosophy to provide the safest and most dignified care to patients.
