April 10, 2023 at 3:15 pm
Gray Bruce Health Services have started campaigning for public funding to support their health and treatment center for those suffering from mental health or addiction issues.
GBHS team members applied to the Bruce County Council on April 6 to invest $500,000 in a dedicated health and treatment facility, which they say will be the first of its kind in the region.
The 45-bed inpatient facility is slated to open this fall at the old Bayview Public School in Owen Sound.
GBHS will cover 40 percent of the estimated cost of purchasing space, renovating and equipping the new center at $25 million. Now, they need to raise about $15 million in the community to make up the rest.
GBHS chief executive Gary Sims said they were now working on fundraising.
“In order to navigate the difficult world of approvals, we have had to be quiet as we negotiate and deal with the work of different departments,” Sims told parliament. “When we got final approval, we hadn’t had the opportunity to go out and get an education, spend time with people and try to really build it up. So you’re really, pretty much the first stop. So you’re us trying to raise money to support the program The beginning of the journey.”
GBHS says their current withdrawal management service is 100% full on waitlists, and there has been a significant increase in opioid-related hospitalizations in the region. Grey-Bruce averages 15 substance-related emergency department visits per day.
The new center will provide 24/7 addiction treatment services, as well as transitional living for those who need a safe space while undergoing treatment and therapy.
Once the new center opens, their current employees with the Withdrawal Managed Services program will move to the new center, but they also hope to bring in 30 more new employees to help.
To learn more about the center, visit here.