Hospital food program increases awareness of local foods in Ontario continued from p.26 For You, Locally Grown project run by HHS, which oversees hospitals in Oakville, Milton and Georgetown. The project adds more local food to hospital menus and has led to systemic changes in public sector local food awareness, according to a press release issued by HHS. "The Ontario Greenbelt Fund provided us with the opportunity to partner with government, local producers, manufacturers and distributors to develop a local procurement philosophy, including a set of guidelines and key learnings, to share with other healthcare facilities in Ontario," said Marianne Katusin, manager of HHS Operations Readiness Food Services. In January 2014, the Greenbelt Fund provided HHS with funding for its Good For You project. Over the past year, with investments from the Greenbelt Fund, HHS participated in several initiatives to enhance staff, patient and customer awareness of both the availability and diversity of local foods in Ontario. This included hosting a number of themed menu days, educational activities and local food expos at its three community hospitals. "We believe that making good food choices is an important part of health and wellness. Our hospitals serve more than 325,000 residents in the Halton Region, and being able to provide more fresh and locally-grown food options to our patients and their families while they are in our care helps enhance their hospital experience," said Elma Hrapovich, HHS director of Clinical Nutrition and Food Services. "We have had a great year partnering with healthcare industry manufacturers to develop local products, new recipes and menu items that meet the nutritional, quality, pricing and food safety standards required in healthcare institutions. We look forward to sharing our ideas, innovations, and experiences with other healthcare providers." Last fall, the HHS project was also recognized by the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers with a 2014 First Local Food Week Competition Award. "This... sums up what we have learned during our Good for You, Locally Grown project -- that the possibilities are endless when we work together with our local producers to source local foods in public institutions," added Hrapovich. "This award is a tribute to all our partners in what has been an incredibly rewarding project." 27 | Thursday, April 2, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Province investing $28M in mental health, addictions organizations The Province recently announced it would be investing $28 million in mental health and addictions organizations to provide care closer to home. According to the Ministry of Health and LongTerm Care, there will be a province-wide registry of mental health beds to connect those experiencing a mental health crisis with the closest available bed. "We have all been touched by mental health and addiction challenges -- whether through a friend, a co-worker, a family member or our own experience," said Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. "By continuing to invest in community services, we're helping to connect people with the support they need closer to home through settings that are more culturally appropriate and personal. These investments will improve the lives of people experiencing mental illness and addictions challenges -- and the families that help care for them." The supported services, as a result of the investment, will include: · Increased access to services, such as supportive housing, short-term crisis support beds, peer support groups and treatment programs; · Shorter wait times for care through the new registry of inpatient mental health beds. It will also provide doctors, first responders and emergency departments with up-to-date information about available inpatient beds across the province; · Improved transitions between care teams so people do not have to tell their story multiple times; · More early intervention initiatives to reduce repeat visits to emergency departments, such as expanding the number of early psychosis intervention teams to help people early on after onset of psychosis. The next phase of Ontario's Mental Health and Addictions Strategy includes spending $138 million over three years for community agencies to support improvements to mental health and addictions services, through Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). According to the Ministry of Health, each of the 14 LHINs is investing an additional $2 million for 2014-15 in community-based mental health and addictions services. By 2017, it is expected the Province will have increased annual funding for mental health and addictions by a total of $172 million since it launched its Mental Health and Addictions Strategy in 2011. Assisted Living Does MoM & DaD neeD help at hoMe? 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