A new mental health organization now offers people across London and surrounding areas a single point of access to find mental health services and support. The newly formed CMHA Middlesex, an amalgamation of the former Canadian Mental Health Association London-Middlesex, WOTCH Community Mental Health Services and Search Community Mental Health Services, aims to engage more rapidly with people who have a mental health crisis, offering enhanced crisis response and counselling services, service delivery navigation and service access in rural communities.
“It is a simple thing, one number, one door, one click of a mouse will get you the services you need,” Don Seymour, CEO of CMHA Middlesex, said to the London Community News. “We have to be honest; there are never enough resources to do everything we want to do. But with the resources we have, we know that we will be able to develop more timely access for people with mental illness.”
Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Deb Matthews attended the launch of the new organization on March 7, 2014 and expressed her support for CMHA Middlesex’s leadership in the community.
“Mental health is a vital component of a healthy and vibrant community,” said Minister Matthews. “As long as we ignore mental health and addiction challenges, we aren’t going to be as good as we can be.”
For more information, visit www.cmhamiddlesex.ca or follow CMHA Middlesex on Facebook or Twitter.