Critical mental health and addictions supports are being brought to people all across Hastings and Prince Edward Counties with the launch of the Homeless and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs Mobile Outreach Program.
The HART Hub outreach teams and their vehicles were introduced Monday at the Hastings Quinte Paramedic Services base in Stirling.
Paramedic Services Chief Carl Bowker says a mobile program has been helpful in Belleville but people are experiencing mental health challenges, homelessness, and addictions across the region.
“While it might be on a smaller scale in some of these communities, I think the reach of these teams to be able to provide a regional approach is so important that we’re providing that continuity of care across Hastings and Prince Edward. We’re providing care on their terms in an area that they can receive it appropriately.”
The outreach model first launched in Belleville reduced pressure on emergency rooms, ambulances, and law enforcement.
Community paramedic Rob Scott says they are excited to bring the outreach model to other communities.
“Typcially we’ll be in teams of two so there’ll be a community paramedic and then there’ll typically be a Canadian Mental Health Association Worker. And then we can have other people with us so sometimes we have a community nurse. We can have public health with us at times. Sometimes we’ll liaise with the police or other agencies.
HART Hub Mobile Outreach Program vehicles. (Photo: Alana Cameron/Quinte News)
Bowker says with the program in its infancy, they will look to adapt to each community’s needs.
“We’re exploring those communities now. We’re doing a little bit of a needs assessment. We’re reaching out to some of our community partners to say, you know, what are the needs in this particular area? Not everybody has a warming centre. Not everybody has a Salvation Army. So it’s important that we define our care pathways in accordance to the municipality.”
Interior of HART Hub Mobile Outreach Program vehicle. (Photo: Alana Cameron/Quinte News)
Canadian Mental Health Association outreach worker Jonathan Dalpe says they are still learning about the homeless and vulnerable populations in more rural communities.
“Their homeless is more hidden. They go to the bush, they go to crown land so our rural teams are now investigating those areas to find more and more people.”
Funding for the expanded Mobile Outreach Program comes from HART HUB funding and is a for a three-year term.
