History
The CMHA Leeds Grenville Branch has been involved in the provision of direct services, supports and advocacy to persons who are experiencing severe mental illnesses for several years. Founded in 1958, the Branch concentrated its earlier efforts on providing advocacy and public education services to the general community, as well as assisting in development of direct service programs through other organizations. Recognizing the difficulty of providing services without an established funding base, the Branch undertook Incorporation in 1988, and were successful in becoming Incorporation in 1988, and were successful in becoming an Incorporated entity. Following the receipt of established Letters Patent, the Branch applied for funding from the Ministry of Health for two programs, the McCall House and the Transportation Program. These proposals were well received, and annualized funding was established under separate Ministry Program numbers (# 7006 and # 7007). These programs would establish a funding base for the Branch, and allow it the opportunity to develop initial infrastructure for successful Branch growth in later years. The funding also allowed the Branch’s volunteer base, who had sustained and promoted the Branch as an essential component of a localized care continuum, the opportunity to focus on development in other key Program areas.
Successful Incorporation also allowed the Branch the opportunity to become involved in several successful pilot projects including the Consortium Project and the Safe Place. The former effort, the Consortium Project, was a research based effort focused on connections between access to financial resources for consumers and their quality of life in community settings. An independent panel of persons randomly selected consumers residing in community settings from a list of applicants, and allocated each a level of additional finances (on a monthly basis) based on their submissions. Persons successful in receiving monies were provided with follow up for a specified period, and quality of life questionnaires were completed at regularly established intervals. Those persons who did not receive allocations were also provided with follow up for comparative analysis. The Project assessed changes to functioning level and overall quality of life in each group.
Safe Place Project
The Safe Place Project also provided an opportunity for the Branch to be involved in a Pilot Project. The Program provided emergency and respite housing space to consumers residing in the community, and was linked to consumer support providers as well as mental health professionals. Persons living in the community who were experiencing personal crisis were referred to the program, and provided with peer encouragement and access to the home on a short term basis. Staff from the Branch assisted in fostering access to the service (as fellow consumers), as well as contacting necessary backup and professionals as needed. The service was linked to hospital and community providers, and was successful in providing necessary respite as required. The program lasted for approximately nine months, and was closed due to inadequate funding. The program was well regarded locally, and is considered to be an outstanding model for crisis response.
Amalgamation
In 1998, the Branch undertook an amalgamation of the services provided under Ministry Program Numbers 7006 and 7007 at Ministry request. CMHA Leeds Grenville had received an enhancement of its program budget in 1998 to allow it to provide mental health support to families in the Leeds and Grenville area. While developing the Family Mental Health Support Network for Leeds and Grenville, the Branch was asked by the Ministry to amalgamate its Program Functions into one program number, MOH number 7007. The exercise undertaken to accomplish this allowed the Branch the chance to redefine its service targets and goals, as well as move into providing services in areas long perceived as essential to the community. These included Public Education efforts as well as Information and Referral functions. The amalgamated Program was christened the Community Mental Health Access Program.
Strategic Reinvestment
In 2001, the Branch applied for additional funding through the Strategic Reinvestment Initiative of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. The Branch was successful in its application, and received additional annualized dollars for several programs including enhanced transportation services, court diversion services and Branch infrastructure. These program efforts were all developed as functions within the existing Community Mental Health Access Program.