Mental Health & Addictions Action Team
The Mental Health & Additions Action Team has several ongoing projects
Streamline Access Centralized Referral
Inner City Hub
Under One Roof
Streamline Access Centralized Referral
Streamlined Access is very pleased to announce, that in collaboration with the East York Region North Durham Ontario Heath Team (EYRND OHT), a new referral pathway has been developed to assist Primary Care Providers in connecting their patients to community mental health and addictions supports. This referral pathway will support Primary Care Providers in connecting their patients to community mental health supports, through a single referral form.
What is Streamlined Access?
Streamlined Access is the co-ordinated access mechanism responsible for connecting individuals to community mental health and addictions services in York Region.
How does Streamlined Access work?
Streamlined Access is a partnership between many mental health and addictions services agencies. Streamlined Access staff complete the intakes and determine eligibility for 26 (and growing) mental health and addictions services. They also make outgoing referrals to services that are not accessed through Streamlined Access. When you make a referral to Streamlined Access, you are making a referral to a network of services, not just a single agency.
What services can be accessed through Streamlined Access?
· Mental Health and Addictions Case Management – Allows patients to work one-on-one with a social worker on goals related to mental health, resourcing, future planning, budgeting ect.
· Mental Health and Addictions Supportive Housing – Provides individuals who are struggling to live independently because of their mental health with housing and in-house supports.
· Assertive Community Treatment Teams – A team of a psychiatrist, nurses, and social workers who work with individuals who experience psychosis whom have tried lesser intense supports without success.
· Short Term Supports – Immediate support available to individuals on waitlists through Streamlined Access, when urgent needs arise.
What other supports can Streamlined Access offer my patients?
In addition to the above mentioned services, Streamlined Access also offers: Peer Support, Family Navigation, Psychiatric Consultations, Linkages to Crisis Response Services and system navigation.
How do I make a referral for my patient?
You can make a referral for your patient by completing the referral form attached to this letter and faxing it to Streamlined Access at 905-898-6457.
How do I follow up on my referral?
Streamlined Access will contact you to confirm your referral has been received. Once they connect with your patient and complete an eligibility assessment, Streamlined Access will advise you of the outcome. Streamlined Access is currently developing an automated email response system for this purpose, in the meantime, follow up will be via telephone.
When can I start making referrals to Streamlined Access?
This referral pathway will be available to Primary Care Providers on January 1, 2022.
For more information, feel free to contact Kristin Lane, Streamlined Access Supervisor at 289-338-2835.
Inner City Hub
Addiction Services Central Ontario along with community partners in EYRND OHT are building a hub for marginalized populations to access appropriate social, mental health and addictions supports in one location.
Under One Roof
The “Under One Roof” Project is a collaborative proposal developed from the Home and Community Care Network and the Non-Health Services Table.
The project aims to bring primary care, acute care, health care service providers and social service providers under "one roof" (physically and/or virtually) to enable individuals who live and/or work in the FSA - L3S in South Markham, the ability to access services in a more culturally relevant, user friendly, accessible and integrated manner.
Though this project’s focus is on one FSA only, this work will provide critical foundational learnings across five (5) high priority FSAs (L3T, L3R, L3P, L6B, and L6G) in South Markham. The project will enable the OHT to take a deep dive into the needs within the community.
“Under One Roof” Project Objectives
1) To develop a better understanding of the primary care, other healthcare and social service needs of the community;
2) To develop and identify a suite of healthcare, including primary care and social services that are easily accessible for the targeted priority population;
3) To improve the experience of individuals accessing healthcare and social services; and
4) To streamline processes and referral pathways that will reduce stress on staff responding to requests for services.