$5 million donation to support mental health care in Mississauga

Mississauga | Community | Health |

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Published November 23, 2022 at 8:53 am

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Photo by Trillium Health Centre

A $5 million donation will support mental health care at Mississauga hospitals.

The donation to Trillium Health Partners Foundation comes from the Longo Family Foundation, according to a press release from Trillium Health Partners.

The need for improved mental health services across Ontario is clear.

Since 2020, hospital care for mental illness at Trillium Health Partners has increased by nine per cent and the hospital has seen a 65 per cent increase in the number of mental health patients waiting for hospital beds.

The existing 56-bed Mental Health inpatient unit at Mississauga Hospital is significantly undersized and outdated, the Trillium notes.

The donation will help in the redesign of mental health care and the Trillium Health Partners research engine – the Institute for Better Health. The Institute for Better Health will work alongside providers, patients, and caregivers to co-design, implement and evaluate new models of care to address existing barriers and system issues.

The funds will be used for research and innovation to plan new models of care that focus on prevention, early detection, equitable access, and patient-centred treatment.

A portion of the donation will also support the development of mental health inpatient services as part of the new Peter Gilgan Mississauga Hospital.

“Our mental health teams see the growing impacts of mental health and addictions on the community we serve,” said Dr. Alison Freeland, VP education and academic affairs and interim chief and medical director for the Mental Health Program at Trillium Health Partners.

“This important investment from the Longo Family Foundation will transform our current mental health system of care to one that meets our population’s needs in a timely, equitable and evidence-based way.”

Longo Family Foundation, the charitable arm of Longo’s supermarket, focuses on healthcare and youth leadership initiatives.

“It’s our Foundation’s mission to ensure we invest in health care – including mental health – to make our communities stronger,” said Rosanne Longo, Longo’s spokesperson and brand ambassador. “We know that COVID has highlighted social disparities and increased the need for mental health care.”

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