A large collaborative effort between a network of system partners has led to the official launch of the HART of Simcoe County, a program providing support to those with urgent needs in Barrie and surrounding communities.
HART stands for Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment, an issue that has become a point of emphasis across Ontario and particularly in Barrie and Simcoe County.
The provincial government announced $529 million in funding for the initiative in January, of which $19 million will be rolled out to Simcoe County's hub over three years. This is one of 28 HART hubs providing support across the province.
"This is a chance to rethink and reshape the treatment, care and support we offer people in need," said County of Simcoe Warden Basil Clarke in a joint statement.
Barrie's News Delivered To Your Inbox
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Central Ontario Broadcasting, 431 Huronia Rd, Barrie, Ontario, CA, https://www.cobroadcasting.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
The County of Simcoe and multiple local healthcare agencies submitted an application to the Ministry of Health in October to host one of the province's HART programs after it was announced that Ontario would be shifting its approach to the opioid crisis.
It was described by many at Thursday's announcement as an incredibly ambitious collaboration with all of the different partners involved.
"The way we did it here was a bit unique in the sense that the County Simcoe was allowed to either endorse a bunch of applications or submit its own if it was a health service provider," county social and community services general manager Mina Fayez-Bahgat said to Barrie360. "We decided to only submit one application for the region through us, endorse it, and then facilitate a group of everyone to submit."
Aside from the County of Simcoe and the City of Barrie, partners included in this project are the Barrie and Area Ontario Health Team (BAOHT), Barrie Native Friendship Centre, Canadian Mental Health Association – Simcoe County Branch (CMHA SCB), Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin IIPC/Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC), Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) and the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.
April 1 was the original date set as the goal to open this program, but the launch now comes almost three months later through a phased rollout which includes mobile outreach teams to engage potential participants.
Clients in the program will follow a pathway of support and services that are tailored to their needs.
"Society is measured by how it treats those who are in the worst places, Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall said during Thursday's announcement. "The outlook for too long has not been focused on how do we bring everybody together to work together to help one individual."
The HART hubs, similar to existing hub models in Ontario, including two in London, that have successfully provided people with care, will reflect regional priorities by connecting people with complex needs to comprehensive treatment and preventative services.
"We can tailor-make the program for the individual," Clarke said to Barrie360. When you get to know their personality, or what their background is, there might be a program better for them at a different location than trying to treat everybody the same in the same location."
They don't provide safe consumption or needle exchange. The Ontario government prohibited new harm reduction sites from opening in favour of an abstinence-based treatment model.
Each of these organizations will be among those offering services and support across different locations throughout Barrie and Simcoe County. These include existing clinical and social service
sites, as well as new service points introduced through this initiative.
"The key here is integration, collaboration, all working together for a coordinated system of care that wraps care around individuals," said CMHA SCB Sarah Banbury.
There isn't a specific metric for success that the county is looking for or expecting with this program, with HART of Simcoe County manager Katie Drake stating that the program is so new it hopes to get as much reach as possible.
"Our ultimate goal is quite simple, but powerful: to get people back on their feet permanently,"
"The key here is integration, collaboration, all working together for a coordinated system of care that wraps care around individuals," said CMHA SCB Sarah Banbury.
The initiative is a key part of the county's 10-point homelessness prevention strategy which is introducing more programming to join ongoing initiatives. The Ontario government promised 375 highly supportive housing units across the province as part of an adjacent $378 million investment in October.
The county said it believes the HART hub will increase its efforts to move residents who have been living in rough conditions or staying in shelters to more stable housing outcomes.
Tackling primary care, addictions, and mental health is important to the partners within this network as well. Especially after the shuttering of harm reduction sites across the province.
"Often, we find that mental illness and substance use in order go hand-in-hand," said Dr, Bernard Le Foll of Waypoint's research team. "Patients will have access to individual and group psychotherapy, medication management, treatment planning, skill development, and education."
"The BAOHT plays a vital role in connecting individuals to the care and support they need especially during transitions to community services, said primary care network executive team co-chair Dr. Matt Orava during the announcement. "We also want to provide comprehensive physical care assessment treatment and referrals to the needed specialized services."
RVH will also be launching a live-in 21-day co-ed addiction treatment program alongside its other addictions and withdrawal efforts. It will be staffed by addiction counsellors, social workers and recreational therapists. It's expected to open next month.
Another big part of the HART of Simcoe County is Indigenous-specific service, ensuring members of those communities aren't marginalized or neglected within the initiative.
"We’re creating a space where Indigenous community members can access care that reflects their culture, values, and lived experience," said BANAC president Lynn Monague-Sauvé in the joint statement. "Members of our community deserve care that is wholistic, trauma-informed, and rooted in trust.”
"We have been able to provide input and perspective from a culturally-specific lens during the planning process, helping to ensure that the Indigenous supports offered through the HART hub are culturally relevant and appropriate for our community members," said Barrie Native Friendship Centre program coordinator Michael Culver.
Culver added that the Barrie Native Friendship Centre will still refer those in need to HART hub programming to those who aren't Indigenous.
Soft launch services occurred over the last month and will continue into July. The County of Simcoe's community paramedicine and HART of Simcoe County navigation team will be hosting a slate of community wellness clinics throughout the area as part of the opening stages of rolling out the HART hub program.
- July 4, 11, 25 from 1-4 p.m. - 136 Bayfield Street, 3rd floor, Barrie
- July 8 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. - 162 Essa Road, Barrie
- July 21 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. - 75 Queen Street East, Orillia
- July 22 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. - 810 Bay Street, Midland
The listed clinics are meant for anyone experiencing or at risk of homelessness or those seeking mental health and addiction support. They're offering a variety of services including full physical assessments and retinopathy screening
The initial focus on the initiative to support homelessness and addiction recovery treatment will begin in Barrie, but the county says its success will spawn a larger footprint.
"Once it's established and doing well in Barrie, it's a program that can be scaled, Clarke added. "So, Orillia, Collingwood, Midland. It's something that we can reproduce everywhere else across the county."
"Our main focus is in Barrie," Drake said to Barrie360. "It's a program that we are looking to expand and grow and we are hopeful that we may be able to expand throughout the County of Simcoe. "
"We are leveraging all that we can to be able to provide the best services as soon as possible to everyone."
—with files from Ian MacLennan
