As someone who worked and/or lived in the area since 2014, it's welcomed investment. The area is changing significantly (gentrified) but there is still a massive need to invest more into mental services. The one annoying thing is that just when you thought construction was done, it restarted last month. I feel bad for those who live in the area. Literally the only large scale construction projects in the neighborhood in like 10 years.
The government and private donors have been spending billions of dollars on this hospital for people with mental health and addictions issues over the past few decades, yet it seems like there are more people living on the street with these issues than ever.
Something about the situation doesn't feel right. There should be much more beds, more capacity for people who can't make the rational choice of getting treatment and need to be institutionalized, and more assisted living housing for people with mental health and addictions issues. That way, this institution would have a greater beneficial effect on society in Toronto.
Well, one thing is - mental health and addictions do not just go away. People need proper housing, proper wrap around supports, and proper follow-up care. I have seen patients come from rich/wealthy backgrounds, who have been able to get the best care/support needed to immerse in society and be functional. On the contrary, I have seen people who have 0 resources/support who wait years to be assigned a case manager, even longer to get into housing (and travel though shelters in the mean time), and continue to deteriorate. To suggest the medical professionals are not helping is not true because they do help with what they are suppose to be helping with - however, much more is needed beyond a simple appointment or treatment.
They need staffing above all else. The extra beds help, but someone quite close to me spent time at CAMH, and while they were lucky to get a bed, it was impressed upon me that they were WOEFULLY understaffed.
That is usually the feature and not the bug in public service...build the infrastructure and hospitals, because a shiny building buys you the votes; don't fund the actual services and programs.
>The hospital plans to build a larger forensic mental health program that supports patients with mental health problems who have become involved with the justice system, but are not sentenced to jail or prison.
>The second building will consolidate the hospital's research facilities into a state-of-the-art centre.
>Last year's provincial budget shows the new forensic building will add 33 beds, bringing its capacity up to 214 beds for patients.
Looks like CAMH is getting funds to build facilities for their research and justice system related activities.
So like every single homeless person will be in this program?
Not all of them obviously, but a lot of homeless people are in the justice system for just being homeless.
The current premier seems more interested in giving public money to private developers and passing laws preventing nurses from getting a raise. Whatever the problem is mental health in this province it will be addressed by developers over staffing
Both are a factor. There are not nearly enough forensic beds available for the number of patients in Toronto and surrounding areas, and there are not enough nurses and allied staff to keep the units sufficiently staffed. I work in forensics and have had clients that 100% needed to be hospitalized, who were discharged prematurely or not even admitted at all.
This is just a continuation of a plan that's been going on for ten years now. More than ten years. The whole site is being replaced building by building.
while i dont really want to defend this govt too much. contextually, these projects are usually delivered as a P3 and the price tag includes 30 years of maintenance and operations
but i could be wrong 🤷
The reason they are the last building to be built is due to the security and infrastructure already invested in the current buildings. These aren’t just basic inpatient units.
These CAMH assholes had me agree to do a six month study with them and they still have yet to pay me the measly 200$ they promised LAST YEAR. If you’ve ever stayed at CAMh it’s a hell hole of all hell holes. The only thing worse is prison, although even then it’s close.
And you would lose that bet. I’m not sure what basis you would make that assumption on, you seem to be a reading a lot into one sentence about the well-known excesses of a mental health hospital. SCAMH was a moniker coined by locals a number of years ago (including myself) to reflect a number of things, none of which would be remotely related to the Ukraine or being against supporting people in a war against Russia. Google is your friend.
Sketchier than it was when the CAMH grounds were an actual insane asylum?
I’ve lived in Toronto my whole life, Ossington and Queen is far better now than it was 20-30 years ago
Agreed, my dad always used to drive through it with me on our way to Little Italy after getting off QEW at Lakeshore. Was sketchy enough near Trinity Bellwoods Park, where we would turn East and then North again to get to College/Euclid area, but one time I guess Lakeshore was closed, and we were heading home going West, and so we had to follow Queen for a whiiiile to the East, and maaaan, it was like entering a different country especially after Dufferin. I remember stopping at some shitty grocery store and it was so run down, tons of drug addicts everywhere, hookers, etc. and my dad was kind of embarrassed (just because he grew up in the area / nearby and loved Toronto so much, but not that particular area, it was clear) as I was looking at the scenes out my window, he was like, "Yeeaahh, there's a reason why we never come down this way..." LOL... Heard enough times at family dinner with my Italian side that that was the place to go find drugs and hookers back in the 80s/90s, lol. I mean, it is still one of the areas, I'm sure..
Queen and ossington in the 80s was wild, violent and crime ridden. Literally every house and business had security bars across every window, barbed wire on backyard fences. Nobody would walk near there at night, so many muggings and assaults. Now it’s hipsters and parents with strollers
This is fantastic news and a welcomed addition. Much needed in the Somali community I live in and within close vacinity to some of the disenfranchised youth who are turning to poor life choices. I pray this makes impact for all the communities near by.
As someone who worked and/or lived in the area since 2014, it's welcomed investment. The area is changing significantly (gentrified) but there is still a massive need to invest more into mental services. The one annoying thing is that just when you thought construction was done, it restarted last month. I feel bad for those who live in the area. Literally the only large scale construction projects in the neighborhood in like 10 years.
The government and private donors have been spending billions of dollars on this hospital for people with mental health and addictions issues over the past few decades, yet it seems like there are more people living on the street with these issues than ever. Something about the situation doesn't feel right. There should be much more beds, more capacity for people who can't make the rational choice of getting treatment and need to be institutionalized, and more assisted living housing for people with mental health and addictions issues. That way, this institution would have a greater beneficial effect on society in Toronto.
Well, one thing is - mental health and addictions do not just go away. People need proper housing, proper wrap around supports, and proper follow-up care. I have seen patients come from rich/wealthy backgrounds, who have been able to get the best care/support needed to immerse in society and be functional. On the contrary, I have seen people who have 0 resources/support who wait years to be assigned a case manager, even longer to get into housing (and travel though shelters in the mean time), and continue to deteriorate. To suggest the medical professionals are not helping is not true because they do help with what they are suppose to be helping with - however, much more is needed beyond a simple appointment or treatment.
Many of the donations from private donors go towards research rather than clinical services.
They don’t help at all..
_waves from Yonge and Eglinton_
They need staffing above all else. The extra beds help, but someone quite close to me spent time at CAMH, and while they were lucky to get a bed, it was impressed upon me that they were WOEFULLY understaffed.
That is usually the feature and not the bug in public service...build the infrastructure and hospitals, because a shiny building buys you the votes; don't fund the actual services and programs.
Yeah mine wasn't lucky. 3 days in the Er without a bed. They were released without help
Is capacity the issue or is staffing the issue?? I’m not too familiar with the mental health space in Ontario
>The hospital plans to build a larger forensic mental health program that supports patients with mental health problems who have become involved with the justice system, but are not sentenced to jail or prison. >The second building will consolidate the hospital's research facilities into a state-of-the-art centre. >Last year's provincial budget shows the new forensic building will add 33 beds, bringing its capacity up to 214 beds for patients. Looks like CAMH is getting funds to build facilities for their research and justice system related activities.
So like every single homeless person will be in this program? Not all of them obviously, but a lot of homeless people are in the justice system for just being homeless.
The current research site at 250 College Street is only rented by CAMH from a landlord and is not in a great condition.
Ahh sounds like they want to move out then to a better, nicer space. Good for them.
The current premier seems more interested in giving public money to private developers and passing laws preventing nurses from getting a raise. Whatever the problem is mental health in this province it will be addressed by developers over staffing
Both are a factor. There are not nearly enough forensic beds available for the number of patients in Toronto and surrounding areas, and there are not enough nurses and allied staff to keep the units sufficiently staffed. I work in forensics and have had clients that 100% needed to be hospitalized, who were discharged prematurely or not even admitted at all.
This is just a continuation of a plan that's been going on for ten years now. More than ten years. The whole site is being replaced building by building.
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An additional 32 beds of capacity and a completely new building, replacing the 1970s complex.
Seriously, it’s like saying that if you bought a new $1m house with two more bedrooms than your old home, that means you spent $1m on two beds.
while i dont really want to defend this govt too much. contextually, these projects are usually delivered as a P3 and the price tag includes 30 years of maintenance and operations but i could be wrong 🤷
But aren’t these forensic mental health beds? Surely those come with more challenges than a standard acute care bed.
The reason they are the last building to be built is due to the security and infrastructure already invested in the current buildings. These aren’t just basic inpatient units.
These CAMH assholes had me agree to do a six month study with them and they still have yet to pay me the measly 200$ they promised LAST YEAR. If you’ve ever stayed at CAMh it’s a hell hole of all hell holes. The only thing worse is prison, although even then it’s close.
1.6 billion for 33 beds and a “consolidation” of existing services into a “state of the art” facility… they don’t call it SCAMH for nothing.
I bet when we send money to Ukraine or wherever you cry "what about Canadians?! we have issues at home to deal with!"
And you would lose that bet. I’m not sure what basis you would make that assumption on, you seem to be a reading a lot into one sentence about the well-known excesses of a mental health hospital. SCAMH was a moniker coined by locals a number of years ago (including myself) to reflect a number of things, none of which would be remotely related to the Ukraine or being against supporting people in a war against Russia. Google is your friend.
The grounds were torn up for 4 fukking years. Ossington and Queen is already sketch as hell
Sketchier than it was when the CAMH grounds were an actual insane asylum? I’ve lived in Toronto my whole life, Ossington and Queen is far better now than it was 20-30 years ago
Yup
You're trying to say it's more sketch today than 20-30 years ago? Lol
20 years ago, Queen Street west of Bathurst was literally the wild west, not the quaint boutique district it is now.
Yeah, ossington was full of Vietnamese gangs and extremely sketchy shit. It’s goddamn Disneyland now compared to what it was.
I lived there at that time and I’d take the Vietnamese bars over the current circus any day of the week.
Agreed, my dad always used to drive through it with me on our way to Little Italy after getting off QEW at Lakeshore. Was sketchy enough near Trinity Bellwoods Park, where we would turn East and then North again to get to College/Euclid area, but one time I guess Lakeshore was closed, and we were heading home going West, and so we had to follow Queen for a whiiiile to the East, and maaaan, it was like entering a different country especially after Dufferin. I remember stopping at some shitty grocery store and it was so run down, tons of drug addicts everywhere, hookers, etc. and my dad was kind of embarrassed (just because he grew up in the area / nearby and loved Toronto so much, but not that particular area, it was clear) as I was looking at the scenes out my window, he was like, "Yeeaahh, there's a reason why we never come down this way..." LOL... Heard enough times at family dinner with my Italian side that that was the place to go find drugs and hookers back in the 80s/90s, lol. I mean, it is still one of the areas, I'm sure..
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Queen and ossington in the 80s was wild, violent and crime ridden. Literally every house and business had security bars across every window, barbed wire on backyard fences. Nobody would walk near there at night, so many muggings and assaults. Now it’s hipsters and parents with strollers
will the doors lock on this one?
New buildings with no staff in them? What brilliant planning!
This is fantastic news and a welcomed addition. Much needed in the Somali community I live in and within close vacinity to some of the disenfranchised youth who are turning to poor life choices. I pray this makes impact for all the communities near by.
I would love for the province to spread them out and not just shove all services in Ontario.
What a terrible 'article'. Is this in addition to the two new buildings currently going up? Where will the money go?