So they're still — again? — planning to replace the Waterford

A replacement for the Waterford Hospital in St. John's is still — or back — on the table.

The Newfoundland and Labrador government released its 2018 budget Tuesday afternoon.

In the budget, Finance Minister Tom Osborne outlined $6.1 million for replacing the aging Waterford, which dates back to the late 1800s.

Health Minister John Haggie told reporters that details on that spending will be released by the end of the week. 

"This year, we have allocated $6.1 million to advance a value-for-money assessment for a new mental health facility to replace the Waterford Hospital," Osborne said.

"The new facility will be the focal point of our community-centric approach to mental health and addictions."

Health care is government's biggest ticket item in the budget, coming in around $3 billion in spending for 2018.

A replacement for the Waterford has been on the wish list for mental health advocates for years.

A couple of years ago, Premier Dwight Ball put a hold on a new hospital, citing the province's dire financial situation as the reason.

This $6.1-million allocation brings the replacement back to the forefront.

More money in crisis management

Included in Tuesday's budget is $1.74 million for a province-wide mobile crisis intervention teams.

Those teams will include police officers who will join mental health professionals to respond to calls to those in mental crisis.

"Our government has placed a spotlight on transforming how mental health and addictions services are delivered, breaking down stigmas, and removing barriers to treatment," Osborne said in his speech.

Between provincial and federal funding, government plans to:

• Develop a province-wide mental health service delivery model for children, youth and emerging adults to address existing systemic barriers to treatment.
• Expand e-mental health services.
• Improve access to addictions services.
• Improve community-based services to replace hospital care.

A total of $28.8 million over five years obtained through the bilateral agreement with Ottawa will go toward mental health and addictions.

In 2018, $3.6 million will be invested as follows: 

• $1.1 million to enhance e-health initiatives.
• $460,000 for CHANNAL's Warm Line and peer support services.
• $440,000 to support continued monitoring and evaluation of the Mental Health and Addictions Plan.
• $230,000 to plan for enhanced child, youth and young adult services.
• $200,000 for the needle exchange at the AIDS Committee of Newfoundland and Labrador.
• $120,000 to increase peer support services at U-Turn in Conception Bay North. 

There will also be $444,800 toward the dedicated intensive eating disorder unit at the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's.