Waterloo Wellington LHIN

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

Waterloo Wellington LHIN has released its Integrated Health Services Plan (IHSP) for 2010-2013. Working Together for a Healthier Future is oriented around eight priorities:

• Improving wait times for MRI exams
• Improving access to emergency department (ED) care
• Improving access to primary care
• Improving access to, and coordination of, addictions and mental health services
• Improving chronic disease prevention and management
• Improving outcomes for stroke patients
• Decreasing alternate level of care (ALC) days

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 Grand River Hospital - Freeport Site has announced the expansion of its mental health programs through the addition of 50 new beds for patients 16 years and older who may require hospital stays of up to three monthes as they receive treatment for a mental illness.

The expansion will include:
- a 10 bed psychogeriatrics assessment unit for elderly patients with a mental illness
- a 33 bed unit for patients with a severe and persistent mental illness
- a 7 bed transition unit
- New day programs and outreach services provided on site to support outpatients living in the community.

The Provincial Government and the Waterloo Wellington LHIN recently announced increased funding for Youth Addictions Programs in Waterloo Region, Wellington County and South Grey. In September of 2008 the Ministry of Health and Long Term care announced $1.7 million to support youth addictions treatment in the area. In November 2008 the WWLHIN passed a motion to provide an additional $811, 000 bringing the total allocation to $2, 511,000 for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.