How a gap in funding could could affect mental health services for children in Windsor
'I don't want to further impact children's mental health,' says hospital CEO
A $300,000 gap in funding for a mental health resource centre for youth in Windsor could increase the wait times for families trying to access programming.
The Regional Children's Centre at Hôtel-Dieu Grace in Windsor provides a variety of mental health services for children in the Windsor-Essex region, with a waiting list of about three months.
"We haven't seen any funding increases to our program," said CEO of Hôtel-Dieu Grace, Janice Kaffer. "All the bits and pieces that go with running a program have gone up. Base funding has not changed."
Pressure Points
Kaffer said that the hospital has been using 'band-aid' solutions by leaving vacant positions open, increasing training and adding new equipment to make tasks more efficient.
There's a need to be worried here,- Janice Kaffer, CEO of Hôtel-Dieu Grace
But she said the funding gap in the 2018 budget is a "pressure point" that the hospital may not be able to climb over without impacting services.
"I don't want to further impact children's mental health. Kids are already waiting in my personal opinion too long for service," said Kaffer.
"If we got a place this year, next year, the year after where we have to take positions out of the organization or we have to extend wait lists or we have to change things that will have an impact on kids - that's not the kind of CEO I want to be and that's not the kind of hospital I want to run."
Potential Impact
In the past the hospital has left vacancies open as staff transferred to different parts of the hospital, according to Kaffer.
She said if those positions are filled now they won't make budget.
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"One is the actual further growth of the wait list," said Sonja Grbevski Vice President Brain & Behaviour Health, when asked what could happen if they don't. "We have optimal staff here, we have amazing staff and the last thing I would ever want to do is minimize or change the type of intervention that they do."
'Structured funding'
When Kaffer first noticed the $300,000 funding gap she thought it was a mistake.
"One of the things we've decided to do ... is have a conversation with the community," said Kaffer. "There's a need to be worried here."
Kaffer said that she's heard from officials with the provincial government that they're working on the file.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care told CBC News on Thursday they were looking into the funding situation at Hôtel-Dieu Grace and would respond with an update.
"My issue is that it can't be a one time thing," said Kaffer, who said she wants structured funding.
Officials with Hôtel-Dieu Grace and the Canadian Mental Health Association both want children's mental health to be an election issue as Ontario heads to the polls this summer.
"We're already working on doing a pre-election, all-candidates meeting to really get at some of the local details," said Kaffer.