Hasting Prince Edward Addictions and Mental Health Services Chief Executive Officer Garry Laws. (Photo: Nicole Kleinsteuber / Quinte News)
It’s been a long road getting there but Hastings Prince Edward Addictions and Mental Health Chief Executive Officer Garry Laws says they are ready to move into a bigger office space that will allow them to address client and staff needs more efficiently.
On September 5, HPE Addictions and Mental Health Services will move from its current 3 Applewood Drive location in Belleville to more than double the office space at the former provincial courthouse site at 15 Victoria Avenue. Together the agency provided access to a wide range of programs including mental health counselling, substance abuse, problem gambling, housing and youth services for 2,400 individuals in 2016/17.
CEO Garry Laws said thanks to almost $3 million in new government funding since the two entities amalgamated in 2015, more counselling services have been added for an increasing amount of people requiring the services thus creating the need for more space.
He said counsellors are providing high quality treatment care. The primary focus is meeting client needs and where they are at ‘literally and figuratively.’
“You have Hastings County, Youth Hab, Peer Support South East Ontario close by,” explained Laws. “It is kind of a hub. It’s accessible with added parking, closer to the transit station, easier access to counsellors and other services as opposed to traveling to the west end then back downtown.”
Mark Almeida co-owner of Applewood Reality Corp. that owns both buildings said by spring the HPE Addictions and Mental Health will have acquired 18,000 square feet of space at the Victoria location after Probation Services transitions into its new office still located within the building.
