November 25th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario government is making it faster and easier for people in the Burlington region to connect to high quality, comprehensive mental health and addiction support services closer to home by building a new mental health unit at the Joseph Brant Hospital.
“This new mental health unit will complement the incredible work Joseph Brant’s hardworking doctors, nurses and other staff do every day to provide high-quality care to the people of Burlington and the surrounding area,” said Premier Doug Ford. “I’m pleased that our government’s investment will support this work as part of our $50 billion worth of investments in more than 50 hospital projects province-wide, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the community.”
The province’s investment will build and create a larger, state-of-the-art space for inpatient and outpatient services at Joseph Brant Hospital to ensure the hospital is better equipped to deliver timely and high-quality mental health and addictions care for more patients and their families, in a safe and comfortable setting.
Once opened, the new mental health unit will include:
A new adult outpatient space better suited to improve clinical flow and patient care
Improved adult psychiatric intensive care space allowing for better patient-centred care and safety
Programs will include interdisciplinary teams of nurses, physicians, social workers, psychiatrists and recreation therapists to support complex patient care needs and provide crisis intervention, psychiatric assessment, treatment and stabilization
Enhanced child and youth programming
Improved infection prevention and control measures
“All Ontarians deserve to have convenient access to the care they need, when they need it, no matter where they live,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By building a new mental health unit at Joseph Brant, our government is ensuring families in the Burlington region have faster access to mental health and addictions support services for years to come.”
As a next step, the ministry is working with Joseph Brant Hospital to complete early planning and design for this project. A construction schedule will be confirmed once future planning is complete and the project is tendered and awarded.
“Our government continues to address the critical need for timely, accessible, and comprehensive mental health and addiction services across Ontario,” said Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “By investing in a state-of-the-art mental health unit at Joseph Brant Hospital, we are reinforcing the continuum of care, ensuring patients in Burlington and surrounding areas receive the specialized treatment and supports necessary for long-term recovery and improved quality of life.”
Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is making it easier and faster for people of all ages to connect to care. In 2020, the province introduced the Roadmap to Wellness, a plan to build a modern, world-class mental health and addictions care system.
It was a half-hour media event with the Premier and several Ministers speaking – all the politicians – except MAyor Meed Ward who skipped a City Council meeting to attend but didn’t get any air time.
Thank you
I would like to know just how much of this money will go to Joseph Brant Hospital. A large event was held at the Perle Hotel in January which at the time the Paletta’s donation of $5 million dollars was announced. At the time I remember thinking that nothing could be done unless the government provided some funds and gave permission for this to happen. As you can see the hospital’s campaign goal is $20 million dollars.
No mention how long it will take for this to actually be built and what the estimated cost would be to build and equip this in-patient and out-patient facility.
“In January 2024, Michael and Laura Paletta donated $5 million to the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation’s For All Minds campaign. The donation is intended to support the redevelopment and expansion of the hospital’s Mental Health and Addictions unit. The campaign’s goal is $20 million.
The Palettas’ donation will help create therapeutic facilities that provide respectful and person-centered care. The redevelopment project includes:
Relocating and expanding the Inpatient Mental Health and Addictions Unit
Adding a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Relocating some of the Outpatient Mental Health Unit
Adding a new Child and Youth Mental Health Day Hospital
Michael Paletta said, “Our family has felt firsthand the impact of mental illness, and understands the value of innovative and lifesaving care”
A major provincial funding announcement in Burlington, the “retirement” of the sitting MPP with no sign of any replacement nominees for candidacy – looks like Tories are a little worried about their ability to hold the seat. They should be.
Nice to see that the Paletta family kicked in a few million!
Editor’s note: Let’s be fair here. It wasn’t a “few million” It was $5 million and it was not Paletta corporate money – it was money that came out of Michael Paletta’s bank account.