FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November
21, 2005
MEDIA ADVISORY
Windsor and Essex
could lose specialized mental health services, says OPSEU
Windsor and Essex County
could lose specialized treatment services for schizophrenics
and other people living with a serious mental illness in the
community.
The Ministry of Health and
Long-Term Care plans to transfer 11 Assertive Community
Treatment (ACT) teams in the Southwest from hospital to
community agency control.
Two of the ACT teams operate
in Windsor and Essex. They provide intense and
individualized treatment and rehabilitation, including home
visits of up to four times a day, to about 150 individuals,
many of whom are schizophrenics.
“There’s no guarantee that
this high level of care will still be available to this
high-risk population,” said Dave Erskine, president of OPSEU
Local 152, representing the ACT teams’ staff.
OPSEU members will picket to
raise community awareness.
Date: Wednesday,
November 23
Time: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: 875 Ouellette Ave., (across from the
Windsor Public Library), Windsor
Assertive Community Treatment
is a model of care in which an integrated team of
professionals provide treatment, rehabilitation and support
services to people with a serious and persistent mental
illness. The services are provided in the community, such as
in the client’s home.
OPSEU represents the mental
health professionals on the 11 ACT teams, including
registered nurses, registered practical nurses, social
workers and occupational, vocational and recreational
therapists.
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For more information,
contact:
David Cox, OPSEU
Communications, 1-800-268-7376 x 8314
Dave Erskine, president, OPSEU Local 152: (519) 631-8510
ext. 49500; (519) 765-8660
Rob Kinnear, OPSEU Staff representative: (519) 649-7770
