New Mental Health and Addictions Program, Moving Beyond Addiction, Opens Doors
New pilot program will offer services to 320 individuals across Peterborough City, County
October 17, 2022
Peterborough – Today, Dave Smith, Member of Provincial Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha was joined by the Hon. Michael Tibollo, Minister responsible for Mental Health and Addictions, Peggy Shaughnessy, Founder and President of Whitepath Consulting, Debbie Carriere, Executive Director of the Elizabeth Fry Society, Tim Farquharson, Acting Peterborough Police Service Chief, and Randy Mellow, Chief of Peterborough County-City Paramedics, to announce Moving Beyond Addiction has opened its doors.
Right to Heal, a local non-profit organization with an investment of $367,480 from the government of Ontario, has opened its doors. This funding will enable a significant expansion of their services across Peterborough-Kawartha over a 16- month period. Right to Heal will employ the use of Redpath programs, treating addictions with evidence-based methods to identify the reasons behind ones substance abuse, build resiliency against triggers, and teach them social, emotional, and practical skills that will aid them on their journey to wellness.
“Overdose deaths continue to rise in Peterborough. It’s a crisis that affects families and loved ones across our community. It is clear that more treatment spaces are needed; we need to expand services and lower barriers of access if we want to address this crisis,” MPP Dave Smith said. “Moving Beyond Addiction will save lives. It is a proven program that will help those struggling with addiction move beyond addiction and reintegrate back into society,” MPP Smith added.
“I believe that community-based care is the best kind of care,” said Minister Tibollo. “Our front-line mental health and addictions workers have a knowledge of their communities that only hard-fought experience can give you. We are proud to partner with folks like Right to Heal to provide equitable, accessible, and evidence-based care for all Ontarians.”
Clients referred to the program will typically be unhoused, at-risk of homelessness, living with mental health and addictions issues, and suffering from traumatic experiences. The Elizabeth Fry Society will administer the referral process, enabling the funding for the pilot to flow fully to program services. The pilot program will work in collaboration with primary and secondary target populations, prioritized in this order:
- Peterborough Police, Peterborough County-City Paramedics and Peterborough Regional Health Centre referring clients who have experienced, or are at risk of experiencing, opioid overdoses.
- Health and social services referring clients from places such as the Consumption and Treatment Services/Opioid Response Hub, Brock Mission, Cameron House, and One Roof Community Centre. Additionally, the program will accept family and self-referrals.
“Being able to refer people to programs such as this is important to Peterborough Police and is another tool as our community continues to address the impact of opioids. As an organization that is here to protect and serve residents, we believe there must be a holistic view as to how we can help members of our community receive the services they need, when they need them,” said Tim Farquharson, Acting Chief of the Peterborough Police Service.
Right to Heal will have the capacity to address the needs of 320 individuals in the community over the course of the 18-month pilot project. Once referred, clients will undergo a rigorous and evidence-based assessment to determine the correct treatment for their unique needs. The assessment will consider multiple variables including the origin of their trauma, such as abuse, domestic violence, housing status, financial situation, and severity of their substance abuse. Once the assessment is complete, they will enter into one-on-one counselling and/or the Redpath Intervention Program.
“Peterborough Paramedics are responding to an unprecedented and alarming number of incidents related to mental health and addictions in our community. While the interactions that paramedics have with individuals in crisis are critical and often lifesaving, these interactions are often missed unique and valuable opportunities to provide access to the treatment and resources. Our paramedic service is proud to be part of the collaborative team supporting Moving Beyond Additions that has acknowledged that there is an urgent and critical need for the compassionate, evidence-based health and social supports that are essential to making a safer community for everyone,” said Randy Mellow, Chief of the Peterborough County-City Paramedics.
Redpath’s Intervention Program consists of 21 counselling and training sessions that are 3 hours in length in both community and institutional settings. Clients will then enter an After Care Program, requiring two hours on a weekly basis or group training sessions focusing on personal development and fully reintegrating back into society.
Organizations and potential clients are encouraged to call (705) 740 2003 to partner with the program or self refer.
Quick Facts
• Last year, MPP Dave Smith announced $500,000 in annual funding to strengthen and expand detox services at Fourcast
• Minister Tibollo announced in Peterborough that the province is providing $1,000,000 for a new mobile mental health and addictions clinic in the City and County of Peterborough
• The Peterborough Opioid Response Hub, with $1,350,000 in annual funding, opened its doors earlier this year.
• If you or a loved one are in need of help, you can visit Ontario.ca/MentalHealth or call 2-1-1 to learn more about publicly available mental health and addictions supports in your community.
Additional Resources
Roadmap to Wellness: a plan to build Ontario’s mental health and additions system