News Release

Integration starting to yield results
As Choices For Change and Resilience Huron Perth Mental Health Services Come together under new banner

(Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, Stratford, ON) – Since announcing their intention to integrate a few months ago, Choices For Change and Resilience Huron Perth Mental Health Services are beginning to clearly identify benefits of becoming a single agency. Now, the combined organization is taking the next step to rebrand itself as a branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).

In June, Choices For Change and Resilience Huron Perth announced their intent to become one organization. The integration brings together Huron and Perth’s addictions agency (Choices For Change) and mental health agency (Resilience Huron Perth).

As that integration unfolds it’s evident that the combination of these two agencies and their dedicated and committed staff will lead to enhanced care in Huron and Perth Counties. For example:

• A centralized and consistent intake process will mean easier access for clients seeking service and community partners looking to refer individuals.
• Clients will only have one agency to tell their story to and one intake process; their experience with service will improve.
• Clients will have more programs available to them and be able to move between programs seamlessly.
• Staff at both agencies are gaining a better understanding of all programming and identifying opportunities to grow and create more effective services. As one example, the court support programs are already working more collaboratively and looking for ways to support the clients of both agencies.
• There are opportunities to cross-train the workforce which will help to retain staff, cover vacancies and maintain or increase service capacity.“On behalf of the leadership at Resilience Huron Perth and here at Choices For Change, I would like to thank staff at both agencies for their patience and understanding during the integration process,” said Catherine Hardman, Executive Director, Choices For Change. “The important thing is that we all have a shared goal in mind and that’s to provide the best mental health and addiction services for residents of Huron and Perth Counties.”Becoming the 26th branch of the CMHA in Ontario, meanwhile, provides additional benefits for the integrated agency.

“CMHA has a 70-year history in Ontario and is a key player in the community mental health and addictions sector,” said Claudia den Boer, the supervisor appointed by Ontario Health to lead Resilience Huron Perth during this transition period. “CMHAs across the province provide a supportive network where guidance and the sharing of information and best practices is always readily available.”

“CMHA Ontario is also a powerful government relations advocacy organization that promotes positive system change for the community sector,” Hardman added. “The impact of their advocacy, which relies heavily on the successes of the branch network, can only serve well our organization, clients and the communities we support.”

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For more information, contact:

Catherine Hardman
Executive Director, Choices for Change
519-271-6730 ext. 201
chardman@choicesforchange.ca

Claudia den Boer
Ontario Health Appointed Supervisor, Resilience Huron Perth
519-995-8793
claudiadenboer@resiliencehp.ca