Thursday June 16

1:45pm – 3:00pm

Concurrent Sessions

T5: PM
Title: Collaborating Across Regions on Crisis Services
Presenter: Jason Barr, R.N., CPMHN Director, Client Services and Program Development – Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Region Branch
Terry McGurk, Program Manager, St Joseph’s Health Care Hamilton

In this session we will discuss how crisis programs in different regions have collaborated and consulted to develop crisis programs to meet diverse client needs. A variety of presentation methods will be used, including discussion of case studies.

Learn how crisis programs in different regions have worked together to improve services.

Learning objectives:

1. Participants will learn how to identify opportunities for crisis programs to work together.
2. To gain a better understanding and appreciation of how diversifying crisis services can reach a broader range of clients.
3. To understand the challenges and opportunities of cross-region collaboration.

T6: PM
Title: Family Members of the Criminally Accused
Format: Presentation
Presenters: Louise Leonardi, Executive Director, Canadian Families and Corrections Network.
Dianne Grenier, Lawyer, Victim, Survivor

Do you deal with the families left behind when someone enters the criminal justice system? Do you want more knowledge about these consequential and direct victims of crime? How can you support them? Canadian Families and Corrections Network has a mandate to look after families and children on the outside and our extensive, ground breaking research will be outlined to assist crisis workers in their service delivery. Join our interactive session with valuable takeaway ideas and open discussion to assist in supporting the path of families affected by crime in our communities as an asset to public safety.

Learning Objectives:

1. To gain awareness and understanding around the hidden victims of children and families in order to destigmatize families of offenders, reduce myths and diminish stereotypes about families affected by crime and incarceration.
2. To be able to use valuable takeaways to support service delivery to family members of those in the criminal justice system.
3. To consider thought and action for the development of training modules for crisis workers in hospital and community mental health programs, distress lines, and crisis support services that would raise awareness of the effects of crime and incarceration on families and provide best practices for effectively serving this population.

T7: PM
Title: Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Teams and Impact of Service Delivery
Format: Presentation
Presenter: Sergeant Dave Tutte, Supervisor Regional Community Mobilization Bureau and Halton Regional Police Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team, Halton Regional Police Service & Constable Kristopher Elliott, Halton Rapid Response Team.

The Halton Regional Police have partnered with St Joseph Health Care in a unique partnership to form Mobile Crisis Response Teams. These teams comprised of a specially trained Police Officer and a Mental Health/Crisis worker.  The Statistics are clear and show that police are interacting more with persons in crisis. The public we serve are expecting more, and the person in crisis deserves it.  An overview will be provided on the team, the training and the service delivery model. Halton is at the forefront of the evolution of crisis response teams and will share its model and its success.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participant will develop an understanding of Mobile Crisis and the need for integrated teams.
2. Participants will learn about Police and Crisis workers as a unique combination.
3. Participants will gain knowledge of the MCRT service delivery and impact it has with clients and the community.

T8: PM
Title: Here 24/7
Format: Workshop
Facilitator: Carmen Abel – Manager, Here 24/7 CMHA Waterloo Wellington Dufferin
Jennifer Bechtel – Manager, Here 24/7 CMHA Waterloo Wellington Dufferin

Here 24/7 is an innovative collaboration between mental health and addiction providers.  It was the first coordinated access mechanism that combined both Mental Health and Addiction services.  Here 24/7 is the front door to any LHIN-funded mental health or addiction service within the Waterloo Wellington LHIN, and provides access to programs at 12 different agencies. It provides better and more simplified access to community mental health and addictions services by integrating crisis and access services, creating options for immediate interventions for residents and avoiding unnecessary emergency department visits and hospitalization;‎

Learning Objectives:

1. Participant will learn about an innovative, collaborative service that is the central access point for all mental health, addiction and crisis services within the LHIN.
2. Participants will develop an understanding of how the service was developed, how it works and our lessons learned.
3. Participants will learn how this project improves the quality of service.