Three organizations that provide adult mental health and addictions services will merge to form the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce, to include the tagline Mental Health and Addiction Services, beginning September 1, 2018.

In a February 7 joint media release, an amalgamation agreement was recently finalized to officially mark the merger of Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce, G & B House, and HopeGreyBruce Mental Health & Addiction Services, in partnership with Grey Bruce Health Services (GBHS).

Community-based agencies have a record of providing excellent programming and outpatient care. Patients accessing those programs will now go to one provider instead of navigating four agencies to find the right services.

Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce is the result of intensive collaboration between the boards and senior leaders from all partner organizations since the fall of 2015. During this process the transition council, led by an Integration Coordinator, worked in consultation with expert staff to ensure a smooth and patient-focused transition to the new organization.

GBHS has several inpatient and outpatient programs with only the outpatient services coming under the umbrella of the new organization, as many of these programs are already delivered in community offices throughout Grey and Bruce. The transfer of services will reduce fragmentation between programs, reduce duplication of programming, improve consistency and timely access to care, simplify the navigation of services for clients, respond to the needs of patients with dual diagnosis, better serve newcomers, and improve health equity.

Services to be transferred to the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce:
- Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACTT)
- Aftercare (case manager program)
- Intensive Care Management (ICM)
- Prevention and early Intervention Program for Psychosis (PEPP)
- Family Crisis Support Worker
- Dual Diagnosis Program
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Program
- Community Mental Health Teams new additions Owen Sound and Wiarton plus established teams in Hanover, Markdale, Southampton
- Brief Counselling

Services to be transferred to GBHS:
- Urgent Response Team
- Primary Care Telemedicine Program

Well-established programs already delivered by community-based organizations will continue to be provided by the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce.

The amalgamation is focused on patient needs, and is not a cost-cutting measure. Mental health and addiction services staff will continue to provide excellent care under the new operating model. Representatives from all four organizations will form the new organization’s Board of Directors. Members are: Mike Latimer, Al White, Sean McMurray, Kylie Nowak, Lynda Legge, Derek Anderson, Harry Marshall, and Paul Sinclair.

The transition process has been supported financially by the South West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN).