By creating a welcoming space that can be accessed on a walk-in basis, the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) is hoping to help support the mental health care needs of residents in Peterborough and Lindsay.
Last Monday (February 3), CMHA HKPR launched two new mental health walk-in clinics — one in Peterborough and another in Lindsay — that are open Monday through Friday for youth and adults. The mental health walk-in clinics are located at CMHA HKPR’s offices at 466 George St. N. in Peterborough and at 33 Lindsay St. S. in Lindsay.
The new clinics are appropriate for people aged 16 and older who aren’t already connected with CMHA HKPR but are seeking mental health support and don’t know where to start.
Tracy Graham, director of programs and services for CMHA HKPR, shared with kawarthaNOW her biggest aspiration for the impact the new offering will have in the two Kawartha region communities.
“Our hope for the new clinic is that people feel comfortable in accessing a mental health walk-in clinic as they need it,” Graham said, adding she hopes “the clinic is a helpful resource for them.”
The clinics run on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — with the exception of being closed for the lunch hour from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. — and no appointment is necessary to access services.
People who drop in will meet with a mental health worker who will conduct an assessment, and then connect them with CMHA HKPR services or another community service, depending on the individual’s specific needs.
“This clinic is about creating a resource that allows people to have a real-time connection with a mental health professional who can provide support and assist in helping people have information that is helpful to them as they access the mental health system,” Graham noted.
The mental health walk-in clinics offer an opportunity for conversation in addition to the assessment with the intent of helping the person “determine the best pathway to care.”
According to CMHA HKPR, the clinics are not appropriate for people who are in a mental health crisis or for those who require acute care.
People who are in crisis or experiencing emotional distress should contact the 9-8-8 National Suicide Crisis Line by calling or texting 9-8-8. People seeking acute care should go to the emergency department at their local hospital,
CMHA HKPR also notes the mental health walk-in clinics differ from Peterborough’s Talk Now mental health and addictions clinic, which is offered in-person, over the phone, or virtually by CMHA HKPR in partnership with Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC), Peterborough Youth Services, FourCast, Kinark Child and Family Services, Canopy Support Services, and the Peterborough Family Health Team.
“The Talk Now Clinic provides talk therapy supports, while our new clinics connect individuals to a wider network of mental health supports and pathways,” CMHA HKPR states in a media release, adding that the new clinics “are about helping people get to the right place of care” by providing a real-time connection to a mental health worker who can assess and connect people to the most appropriate care.
With 330 community locations across Canada, CMHA is a nationwide organization that promotes mental health and supports people recovering from mental illness.
CMHA HKPR works with individuals, families, and community partners in Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County to provide services that promote and enhance mental health and wellness of people. For more information, visit cmhahkpr.ca.
