A Message from our CEO, Dr. Valerie Grdisa
What a busy time of year it has been with year end and a long weekend ahead of us! I am wishing everyone a wonderful Easter long weekend and may spring 2023 bring you new beginnings and challenges, balanced with many joy-filled and adventuresome moments!

The CMHA Simcoe County Branch (CMHA SCB) Board of Directors, staff and volunteers are thrilled that the Government of Ontario has committed $425 million over three years for mental health and addiction services, including a five per cent (5%) increase for base funding for community-based mental health and addiction services funded by the
Ministry of Health!

This month also represents the start of my 4th year at CMHA SCB and as the CEO, I could not be prouder of the CMHA SCB staff, students and volunteers who persevered through the COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrated their unwavering commitment to client service excellence, innovation, advocacy and continuous improvement!

CMHA SCB knows that we could not have achieved our mandate and moved forward our strategic priorities without the collegiality and collaborative spirit of our local, regional and provincial partners, including but not limited to: CMHA ON and CMHA branches ‘family’, our local Ontario Health Teams, Ontario Health Central, the Mental Health & Addiction Centre of Excellence and government officials who collectively, drive system transformation. Thank you, it has been a true privilege collaborating and working with all of you during these unprecedented three years!
Table 1: 2021 to 2025 CMHA SCB Strategic Plan Progress Dashboard
We are nearing the end of our 2nd year of our 4-year 2021 to 2025 CMHA SCB Strategic Plan and we are pleased with the progress made to-date (at 21 of 48 month timeline). Table 1 above highlights our progress on the strategic plan by pillar and priority. We have completed many actions, most actions are tracking on plan and the few actions that are not tracking to plan will be focused on in the coming months including, the establishment of a quality improvement curriculum (priority 1.A), implementation of an e-risk reporting software (priority 2.A) and the establishment of a facilities management plan for the 19 facilities (10 owned, 7 leased, 2 in-kind) in which CMHA SCB provides MHA services and supports in Simcoe County (priority 3.A). I wanted to highlight a few key initiatives that are underway:

  •  Lynne Cheliak, Director, Clinical Services is leading a significant capital planning project with Kerry Dault, Manager, Crisis Programs and Sheri Scaini, Manager, Safety, Security & Facilities and construction is expected to be underway within the next month involving a CMHA SCB facility in the City of Barrie. We are moving forward a capital planning project, revitalizing one of our existing buildings, to co-locate our 24/7 Crisis Call Centre, 24 Crisis Beds and new 24/7 Justice Safe Beds. The expected completion date is November 2023!

  • Dr. Jennifer Fillingham, Director, Clinical Services continues to lead the integration of the Ministry-funded Community Homes for Opportunity (CHO) program with Andrea English, Team Lead, Housing & Support Services and Lori Howcroft, Manager, Housing & Support Services. This dynamic trio is also moving forward several other innovative models to house individuals in supportive and sustainable settings. A special thank you to the CHO property owners and our Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care for a seamless transition.

  •  Aleta Armstrong, Director, Community Engagement & Inclusivity, oversees one of our most dynamic and inspiring programs, RSVP Clubhouse and Peer Support Program, in collaboration with Ora Laagus, Coordinator for both programs. These programs brings purpose, meaning and joy to dozens of individuals with lived and living experience through a diverse range of client engagement activities such as the recently launched Speakers Bureau Workshops, experience/evidence-informed group interventions, cooking classes, life skills training, community outings and the annual camping trip.

  •  Dr. Orlena Broomes, President, CMHA SCB Board of Directors in collaboration with Ann-Marie Kungl, Chair, Board of Health, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) continue to advocate for the Honourable Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, to make a decision about our application for a Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site at 11 Innisfil Street in the City of Barrie. The opioid poisoning crisis remains unabated and of huge concern in our region, and the CTS is a key missing component of locally available services (A special thank you to Anita Dubeau, Former Chair, Board of Health, SMDHU for all her lobbying efforts in 2021 to 2023). Finally, this effort could not be achieved without the leadership of Dr. Lisa Simon, Associate Medical Officer of Health, SMDHU and the SMDHU team! Meredith Fryia, Manager, Addiction Programs, Lynne Cheliak and I are truly grateful for this collaborative and laser focused partnership!

Finally, I am delighted to welcome two new Directors to CMHA SCB – Peter Treacy, Director, People & Culture and Miae Kim, Director, Quality, Risk & Corporate Performance – we are so delighted that they have arrived to support us in the many initiatives and local, regional and provincial priorities to support MHA system transformation. Finally, I hope to see you at our 9th Annual Golf Tournament happening Tuesday, June 13th at Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Easter weekend and thank you for your individual and collective contributions to supporting CMHA SCB to achieve its mission and aspire to its vision, Individuals living in Simcoe County can easily access high quality Mental Health and Addiction services and supports that empower them and respond to their unique circumstances.

With respect and appreciation, 
Dr. Valerie Grdisa,
CEO, CMHA Simcoe County Branch
Highlighting a Strategic Pillar
Documentation Quality and Data Driven
by Rebecca Harris - Data and Decision Support Specialist
Image Source: Ontario Health
In a rapidly expanding digital world, data is one of the most powerful mechanisms for telling stories. CMHA SCB recognizes that evidence-based program evaluation and improvement relies on collecting and maintaining high-quality data. This is why we have identified Documentation Quality and Data Driven as Pillar 2 of the 2021-2025 CMHA SCB Strategic Plan. There are 2 key priorities for Pillar 2 with a total of 12 action items.

Priority 2.A: Focus our efforts and improve our documentation practices and data quality across all programs and services.

Priority 2.A has 7 key actions. Together these actions include cleaning up historical
data quality issues within our Electronic Health Record and ensuring standardized
documentation policies and processes that meet both clinical and decision support
best practices. Staff will receive refreshed education and training on documentation and
auditing activities will be enhanced to ensure high-quality documentation and data is
maintained.

Priority 2.B: Utilize data-driven decision-making to design, evaluate and improve programs
and services.

Priority 2.B has 5 key actions. Together these actions include advancing the knowledge
and capabilities of our leadership to interpret and use data, and as an agency participate
and optimize provincial data and evaluation initiatives. Work under this priority includes
the development of our internal business intelligence dashboard, participating in the
CMHA Ontario business intelligence and data sharing initiative as well as becoming early
adaptors of Ontario Health’s new Mental Health and Addictions Provincial Dataset
(MHA-PDS). CMHA SCB maintains representation on a variety of regional and provincial
working groups and community of practices, to ensure we stay up-to-date on data-related
initiatives and to ensure the community sector is represented across tables and
informing the way forward. 
Highlighting a Key Enabler -
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Client and Family Advisory Committee

CMHA SCB is committed to engaging with clients and family caregivers to understand their diverse needs while fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment where all individuals can easily access high-quality mental health and addiction services and supports that empower them. We have a collaborative opportunity for clients and family caregivers to have their voices heard. Our Client & Family Advisory Committee (CFAC) provides guidance for programs and services to improve and enhance the care experience for all clients and family caregivers.
 
The Client Family Advisor role is a voluntary experience that will provide a place to share your mental health and addiction care stories, opinions, perspectives, and lived experiences to help guide, shape and co-design our policies, programs and quality improvement initiatives that influence our client and family care across Simcoe County.

Clients and Family Caregivers who are currently receiving or have received services within the past three years from CMHA SCB are welcome to join the Client & Family Advisory Committee, contact Tara Maxwell for more information at tmaxwell@cmhastartartalking.ca.
 

The IDEA (Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Action) Committee
by Aleta Armstrong - Director of Community Engagement and Inclusivity

Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) is an enabler within our CMHA SCB 2021 to 2025 strategic plan to ensure we are embracing our responsibility as an employer and community-based mental health and addiction (MHA) service provider to understand and address how inequities, intergenerational trauma, oppression and racism impact our employees, volunteers,
and the individuals and families we serve.

As an employer, we are committed to:
  • Understanding the composition of our workforce and making progress towards ensuring our team reflects the diversity of our broader community.
  • Engaging in evidence-based approaches to improving performance on DEI-related matters.
  • Fostering a culture that welcomes and respects people of diverse backgrounds.
  • Establishing policies, procedures and norms that accelerate our DEI maturity.
  • Monitoring and reporting progress toward DEI maturity as a key priority at all levels of the organization.
  • Responding to the provincial priorities regarding equity, inclusion, diversity and anti-racism.

As an agency providing MHA services, we are committed to:
  • Understanding and reflecting on the needs of the diverse communities we serve.
  • Creating an environment that is welcoming and respectful toward people of diverse backgrounds.
  • Collecting and meaningful use of data to improve our ability to understand our performance and develop targeted programs and services to address vulnerable or underserved groups as part of our quality improvement focus.

The CMHA SCB Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Action (IDEA) Committee continues to explore issues and/or engage staff in reflective discussions about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). External training modules have been audited by IDEA committee members and when deemed appropriate, broadly shared with all staff. The approach to days/months of recognition/reflection are informed by committee members and/or respective staff (e.g., approach to 2023 National Day for Truth & Reconciliation informed by Indigenous staff). All DEI information is posted on our intranet, using standardized communications provided by CMHA ON. For example, we have co-created a more robust calendar of events to highlight religious or culturally specific days/months embedded with historical information and references. We have led and/or participated in several local and regional planning events that are focused on specific programs and services to co-create culturally-informed, sensitive and safe spaces.

For example, Heather McIntryre, Coordinator of the Wiijinokiiwag (Working Together) presented the findings of the series of workshops done with CMHA SCB staff regarding making a safe spiritual space for Indigenous clients and staff within a mainstream agency. This will include clients and staff being supported to use traditional medicines, such as sage to smudge, and now bundles are located for use across the region.

Donald Carty, Barrie & Area Ontario Health Team Co-Chair and former member of anti-racism Barrie group was invited by the IDEA Committee to share his insights and experience related to anti-Black racism. He used story telling as a method to illuminate the experience of Black individuals and other Persons of Colour to educate the staff on the realities of racism.  We look forward to continued evolution of our efforts within this strategic enabler.
 
 
CMHA SCB and our Community
by Lynne Raimondi - Manager of Fundraising, Communications and Volunteers

It is so refreshing to see a return to in-person events where people are coming together again to bring about awareness of mental health and addictions, and to raise funds for the CMHA SCB.

Most recently, we held our Talk Today game with the Barrie Colts as part of the Talk Today Program through CMHA Ontario. We provided Team Up education sessions, which focus on reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness, suicide prevention and encouraging players to access mental health support when needed. Our game night was February 9th and we had an opportunity to share resources and engage with our community.

On February 16th, we were invited to The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch #147 to accept a donation. We have received $11, 500 over the last five years from this incredible group. It is always a pleasure to meet with this group of people who genuinely believe in supporting the work we do at CMHA SCB.

On March 26th, the Georgian South Masonic District is hosting a bowling event at Barrie Bowlerama. Proceeds from this event along with others will be donated to CMHA SCB as part of their District Project #2427. 

Steps Management Group, which works alongside additional CMHA branches in Ontario, is promoting the work we do across Simcoe County in various retail locations. You may find them set up at a Walmart, Cabela’s, Zehrs or other retail stores in your community. Along with sharing information about our programs and services, they sell sweatshirts and t-shirts with proceeds donated to our organization. They have already raised over $4500.00!

For more information on these and all our fundraising initiatives, please visit www.cmhastarttalking.ca .
Tee Off For Mental Health!
Join us for Tee Off for Mental Health, our 9th Annual Golf Tournament on June 13th, 2023, supporting the CMHA SCB. Register now to secure your spot and make a positive impact in the community!

Fuel up with a complimentary breakfast from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm and warm up on the driving range before taking on the challenge of the golf course. Enjoy lunch served on the course and the chance to win amazing prizes and bid on fantastic items at the silent auction.

Sponsoring our event gives your company exposure to a wide audience of golf enthusiasts while making a difference in mental health initiatives.

All proceeds from the tournament go towards supporting mental health initiatives in our community. Don't miss out on this unforgettable day of golf and community impact.

Register now for Tee Off for Mental Health and be a part of something special.
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If you have concerns about your mental health, please know that you are not alone. Please call our 24/7 crisis line at 1-888-893-8333 or visit us at cmhastarttallking.ca for resources and support.