We’re celebrating the new year and marking NewmarketToday’s four-month anniversary by counting down your top 10 favourite stories. These are the stories that have been most shared by you among your network, on your social media accounts, and by email. These are the stories that struck a chord, inspired, shocked, dismayed, and amused you. Thank you for following us, and for helping to grow our influence and reach since our Sept. 4 launch.
No. 1
Southlake gets funding for additional mental health beds
Shared 1,500+ times | Dec. 20, 2018
Our local hospital — and you — embraced the good news that arrived just before Christmas.
Local MPP Christine Elliott, also Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, announced Southlake Regional Health Centre would receive funding for five urgently needed additional beds for local mental health patients.
The chronic shortage of mental health services has taken its toll on our community.
"It is reassuring to see the government making mental health a priority. Increasing capacity in under-serviced communities like ours is key to helping people get the care they need,” said Arden Krystal, Southlake's president and CEO.
In total, the province will fund more than 50 new mental health beds at 12 hospitals to help lower wait times for those in need of inpatient mental health and addictions treatment, Elliott said.
The provincial government will spend $3.8 billion in the next 10 years to develop and implement a mental health and addictions strategy, which includes consultations with health care leaders and providers, subject matter experts, sector partners and associations, and people with lived experience to help identify needs, Elliott added.
