M’CHIGEENG—Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC) is continuing to take steps to ensure staff employees and patients are safe in the two hospital facilities, even when a patient demonstrates concerning mental health and substance use disorder behaviours.
“While we’re proud of the care we deliver, we continue to face significant challenges. One that is increasingly impacting our system is the rising number of patients presenting with mental health and addictions needs,” said Paula Fields, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of MHC at the organization’s annual general meeting June 25 at the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation (OCF) building in M’Chigeeng First Nation. “This is a growing concern in our communities, emergency departments and inpatient units. It places a heavy burden on patients, families and our clinicians. We are committed to advocating for expanded local mental health and addictions services and additional funding to support both the individuals who need care and the dedicated healthcare professionals who provide it.”
“MHC was successful in obtaining a multi-sector accountability agreement (MSAA), which will open up opportunities to apply for additional funding and enable us to expand this (outpatient) service,” continued Ms. Fields.
Dennis McGregor, MHC chair, also touched on the issue. “Perhaps the single most challenging issue we face is the on-going increase of mental health and addictions intakes which have seriously impacted our operations. I would like to thank the senior team for all their efforts in advocacy and seeking additional funding to alleviate the challenges we face as a result. I am very proud that the board approved the implementation of 24/7 security at both (hospital sites).”
“It should be noted that at present the ministry (of health) does not fund these costs, so the board has demonstrated it strongly believes that although this action will impact our budget it is more important that proper measures were undertaken to ensure the safety and well-being of our patients and staff alike,” said Mr. McGregor.
Ms. Fields told The Expositor after the meeting, “we are moving towards implementation of 24/7 security at both hospital sites and working with challenges to recruit. No funding is provided by the province she said noting, “due to violence threats taken against staff by some patients, the funds for this security is coming out of the MHC operating funds. The safety and security of our staff members and all patients is paramount.”
She explained that currently, MHC is able to provide 12-hour safety security at both hospital sites every night and is moving toward having 12 hour day shifts as well.
Later at a regular MHC board meeting (the same evening), Melanie Stephens, director of strategy, integration and partnerships at MHC, updated the board on a new program that is being developed, in relation to this issue.
Ms. Stephens explained the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health-Trauma Informed De-Escalation Education for Safety And Self-Protection (CAMH-Tides), “alongside SEMEL Ontario Health Team partners, Espanola Regional Hospital and Health Centre and St. Joseph’s General Hospital (Elliot Lake), MHC is engaging in a new training initiative to better support patients and healthcare personnel.”
“In an effort to help keep people safe during a crisis, this is a new training program called Trauma-Informed De-Escalation Education for Safety and Self-Protection (TIDES),” explained Ms. Stephens. “This program teaches people how to work together in situations where someone is becoming anxious, agitated or violent, which are commonly known as psychiatric and behavioural emergencies (other terms include ‘challenging situations,’ ‘crises’ and ‘rapidly changing situations’).
“The TIDES program and training aims to help healthcare teams prevent these situations and to respond safely when they happen,” continued Ms. Stephens. “When staff are trauma-informed, it means they acknowledge that they don’t know everything that another person has experienced, and that people might have had experiences that affect their mental and physical health. This is way of working with people that has far-reaching effects, and can touch on and improve patient experiences, and the overall delivery of health services from an organization-wide level to the daily activities of someone receiving care.”
