A new mobile mental health care van is coming to Huron-Bruce and Perth-Wellington counties but a local association wished they had been able to give input.
The new provincial service announcement on the mobile mental health van made June 13.
Helen Fishburn, CEO of Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo-Wellington (CMHAWW), says the level of care from the current providers is excellent.
"As much as we need new service, and we need new capacity in our services given the overwhelming volume we've been faced with because of the pandemic, sometimes adding a new service provider into the mix isn't always the best option," Fishburn said.
"There's already a number of service providers honestly offering the same kind of service," she added.
Fishburn says her group could have helped provide input on the needs of the community that they know so well, having provided care since the 1960s.
She added she believes there could have been other areas discussed to allocate the funding.
"When you create something new, you're also creating new infrastructure, new leadership and that costs money, which could otherwise be diverted to frontline clinical staff, to address the clinical need in our community," Fishburn elaborated.
Despite the lack of input, Fishburn says she is excited to bring more care local to rural communities that are often underserved, and that she is grateful for added service.
She explained CMHA Waterloo-Wellington will be sure to help connect people to this new service while continuing to aid the community with existing services.
The Ministry of Health was contacted for a statement by CICW and stated that in early 2022, the CMHA was not in a position to take on the project.
"After listening to the community, it was decided that the government would continue to pursue this local project to bring much needed services to Huron Bruce and a provider was chosen who was able to proceed immediately."
The Ministry provided no comment on the consultation process with CMHAWW.
Listen to the CICW story below: