JBH Demonstrates Innovation and Leadership in Mental Health & Addictions Care
Joseph Brant Hospital ( JBH ) has a long history of providing Mental Health and Addictions ( MHA ) services to Burlington and surrounding communities .
As an innovation and leadership hub for MHA care for the province , JBH is committed to the continuous improvement of :
• Quality of care and experience for those seeking help
• Increased access and outcomes to services for the community
• The individual ’ s experience and overall wellbeing during treatment
• Value of , and return on investment for , health sector expenditures
The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened the challenges we face in addressing the MHA needs of our community . JBH has seen rising levels of anxiety , depression and substance use ; worsening of chronic mental illnesses like schizophrenia and increased strain on families .
Timely access to high quality MHA services is one of the biggest challenges our communities face today . Thanks to the incredible support of our donors , JBH has been able to find innovative solutions , like The Prioritizing Health through Acute Stabilization and Transition ( PHAST ) program .
This program is the first of its kind in the province specifically designed for individuals ages 16 and older with MHA concerns who have an urgent need for acute stabilization and intervention .
The goal of PHAST is to provide a timely , centralized , user-friendly response to patients during a mental health crisis , and provide options for ongoing care outside a hospital setting . This program offers addictions specialists , social workers , a child and youth worker , a peer support worker , a registered nurse , and an occupational therapist . PHAST developed a novel therapeutic curriculum that has no specific beginning or end , and no pre-requisites , allowing for rolling admission into the program and transition to next stage services .
Beyond changing the face of Mental Health & Addictions care in Burlington , PHAST is establishing a new best practice for care across the province .
Our innovative program has won a series of awards and accolades , including :
• Provincial Award for Excellence from Health Shared Services Ontario .
• National recognition from the from Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement including :
– Early Innovator Award
– Priority Health Innovation Challenge Award
– Priority Health Innovation Project Charter Award
– Priority Health Innovation Impact Award
– Priority Health Innovation Overall Challenge Award
• Two international presentations at Institute for Healthcare Improvement ( IHI ) conference :
– Better Mental Health Outcomes : Redesigning Systems with Community Engagement .
– Engaging teams in innovating care .
This is just one example of the incredible work being done in Mental Health & Addictions work , which is supported by donors every day .
6 Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation