Central West LHIN

The Integrated Assessment Record (IAR) pilot project in the Erie St. Clair and Central West LHINs, which launched in August 2009, continues to build momentum. The project is currently focused on community-based mental health organizations, but new partners include Westover Treatment Centre, Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital and Leamington District Memorial Hospital from the Erie St. Clair LHIN. Several other LHINS have expressed interest, and a provincial steering committee has been formed and is making progress in their oversight role, including the release of an RFP for IAR software.

The Community Care Information Management (CCIM) program’s HRIS project team at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has launched a new HRIS Quadrant Software Webinar for Community Mental Health and Addictions (CMH&A) and Community Support Services (CSS) organizations across the province.

The webinar reviews how to:

• implement the Quadrant (HR, Payroll, Scheduling and Self Service) software

• streamline back-office processes

• meet Ontario Healthcare Reporting Standards requirements

OMHAKEN is the Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Knowledge Exchange Network, a knowledge exchange network initially established to support the research of the System Enhancement Evaluation Initiative (SEEI).

OMHAKEN works to improve the quality of mental health and addictions services, supports, research and policy by linking and engaging providers, planners, researchers, decision-makers, policy-makers, consumers and families in knowledge creation and exchange across all levels of government and the health care system.

The Central West LHIN Integrated Health Service Plan (IHSP) has released its Integrated Health Service Plan (IHSP) for 2010-2013.

The plan is oriented around several priority areas and includes a vision for an “expanded community-based, consumer-centred mental health and addictions services, designed to improve the lives of people living with mental health and addictions and which meet their individual health needs and circumstances.”

The IHSP outlines several actions to achieve this key priority, including:

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care recently released the LHIN Guide to Good Governance as a resource to provide guidance based on leading practices to LHIN Board members and other stakeholders.

The Guide reviews five topic areas:

• Leading practices in board governance
• Board member roles and responsibilities
• Board scenarios
• Board evaluations
• Checklists and policy documents

The Central West LHIN is holding three public consultations in May to inform the development of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care's 10 year Mental Health and Addictions Strategy.

The consultations are taking place in three locations across the LHIN:

Tuesday, May 19, 2009
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Brampton Courtyard Marriot
90 Biscayne Crescent, Brampton

Monday, May 25, 2009
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Woodbine Banquet Hall,
30 Vice Regent Blvd, Etobicoke

Tuesday, May 26, 2009
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Albion & Bolton Community Centre,
150 Queen Street South, Bolton

Some highlights:

• Urgent priority funding and aging at home funding for mental health and addictions services will be used to train health care providers within the LHIN about mental health and addictions and aging, to develop culturally competent mental health and addictions services that address the unique needs of the local South Asian community, and to provide additional supportive housing units for individuals in Dufferin County and Malton who are living with serious mental illness.