Page 28, Whltby Free Press, Wednesday, October 191994 Congratulations to Whitby Mental Health Centre for 75 Years of Dedicated Serce! The Hospital has played a leading role in providing Mental Health services in Ontario. Over the past 75 years, major improvements in health care have occurred with the discovery of medications, improved therapies, increased opportunities for developing commuhity living and vocational skills, outpatient services, and residential resources. Whitby Mental Health Centre has always been on the forefront of implementing change. With such a proud tradition, we have much to celebrate! Our new hospital is under construction and we anticipate a long future of providing care to individuals and families needing mental health services. BUT, AT A TIME WHEN WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING, we are facing the most SERIOUS THREAT to our services in 75 years. The Provincial Government is cutti g almost 5 MILLION dollars from our budget. None of this money will be distributed in the community to replace the services which are being cut. The current proposal is for the hospital to lose 100 beds. The service cuts include: XAll Outpatient Adolescent community services -Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Bowmanville, Uxbridge, and Port Perry Adolescent community consultations to schools and other agencies; T 8 inpatient Adolescent beds; Adult Outpatient services will be cut back, including community consultations. O £ U (Services will only be provided to individuals who have not been successfully treated in other community mental health programs.) O N T A R I O XOurAward-Winning S.T.E.P program (Schizophrenia Treatment&Education Program), a ,specialized 20 bed unit with Outp4tient commitments serving- P U B L i cyoung people,will be incorporated into other programs. P U B L 1 C XThe Psychotherapy Unit, a specialized 20 bed unit assisting depressed, abused, S E R V I C E and personality-disordered individuals, will no longerprovide 24-hour care. (This change may have serious consequences, because it services peopl&with a E MP LOY E ES highsuiciderisk.) X 40 Psychiatri c Rehabilitation beds. (With no'new community group5 home beds U N I O N becoming available, where will individuals who need'long-term care go?) X beds in the Centre For The.Developmentally Handicapped.. UeThe C.A.R.E. Program which provides skills teaching for the Rehabilitation Unit A will be incorporated into other programs. ALL 0F THESE CUTS WILL HAVE AN IMPACT on our ability to continue to provide mental SYNDICAT DES health services. In keeping with the goals of mental health reform, we had already down- sized by 75 beds. This occurred without a negative impact on the community because EMPLOYÉ-E-S DE money was made available or some community services. This time, thecutsWill not be PrograduaI. They are expected next April, and no new money wili be given to the community. Where are the people going to go? We are worried that patients may end up on thestreets. L A r FONCTION, -- -1% Whitby Mental Health Centre has already reduc 'e d to the target goal set out.by the Ministry oHTh Psychtherapy num t ao s bedsforournita W ae asss thig msos t-ffiient Mnand peralit -dsrdeed oineividunars ino lne rvd 4huae A(Puiscag ay haned oriu Nosemunber cause994 t 7:0.e se peoleaw to becomin Save her erdviceas (ShO .S)e lon-emyaeg? TheC.AR.. Pogarnwh chprvide ski llstahnfoteRhbittonUt sizd b 7bes. 25i Phcurre Mih uray atvenuec o Ohe awmni;a us 1425 Philip Murray Avenue, Oshawa Sponsored by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Local 331