NL Government: Provincial Government Meeting Commitment to Support Individuals with Complex Needs

March 29, 2018

Focused efforts to support individuals with complex needs are now in place across a number of Provincial Government departments and agencies.

These initiatives deliver on a commitment in The Way Forward vision to implement client-focused interventions to support individuals with complex needs, including mental health and addictions, housing, and access to basic necessities and other support services.

Actions completed to date include initiatives contained in Towards Recovery: The Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan and the review of programs and services of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation. For example:

• Expanding access to psychiatry services throughout Labrador through locum visits by Eastern Health psychiatrists and telehealth sessions for those in remote communities.
• Increasing training and awareness with a specific focus on the needs and concerns of LGBTQI2S youth, in partnership with Egale Canada.
• Establishing a Wait Time Reduction Team to address wait times for access to mental health and addictions services.
• Providing stable funding for housing support workers through a two-year commitment of funding for 2018-19 and 2019-20.
• Improving support to community centres by funding two social worker positions to work directly with the five community centres in the St. John’s area.

Community-based service providers, advocates and individuals with lived experience have informed this work, including initiatives which are ongoing, such as implementing a “housing first” approach to service delivery for persons with complex needs, developing an eviction prevention framework and a new comprehensive Provincial Housing and Homelessness Plan. These initiatives will allow NLHC to improve its services to meet the needs of all clients, including individuals with complex needs.

Information on specific initiatives can be found below in the links in the Learn More section.

Quotes
“Improving services for individuals with complex needs will help them lead healthier lives with an improved quality of life, and will reduce demand for emergency services. By taking a government-wide approach and working with community partners and people with lived experience, we are identifying solutions to the challenges faced by individuals with complex needs.”
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development
Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation

“Our government continues to make improvements to the province’s healthcare system. We remain committed to providing our citizens with the right care, at the right time and in the right place. Government-wide collaboration will help to ensure we are working together to provide the best possible care and services to those that need them.”
Honourable John Haggie
Minister of Health and Community Services

“Many of the individuals served by End Homelessness St. John’s have complex needs that require a variety of supports. This collaborative approach to finding solutions is essential to ensuring that individuals with complex needs receive the kind of supports that will help them improve many aspects their daily lives.”
Bruce Pearce
End Homelessness St. John’s

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Learn More
Towards Recovery: The Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador – www.health.gov.nl.ca/health/mentalhealth/pdf/mentalhealth_addictions_plan.pdf

Provincial Government Invests Funding to Help Prevent and End Homelessness gov.nl.ca/releases/2018/cssd/0221n03.aspx

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation – www.nlhc.nl.ca

Media contacts
Gina MacArthur
Children, Seniors and Social Development
709-729-3768, 730-2977
GinaMacarthur@gov.nl.ca

Debbie Marnell
Health and Community Services
709-729-6986, 699-9048
DebbieMarnell@gov.nl.ca

Bruce Pearce
End Homelessness St. John’s
709-689-9615
bpearce@nl.rogers.com

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