Scarborough Health Network (SHN) opened the doors to its new Community Mental Health Centre in June, bringing together ambulatory and community outpatient mental health services that were previously offered at multiple SHN hospitals and satellite sites into a single location, for the first time.

One of SHN’s Build It Forward capital projects, the Community Mental Health Centre was made possible entirely thanks to donors, who collectively donated $6 million to SHN Foundation’s Love, Scarborough campaign. The 15,000-square-foot space gives patients access to the RBC Youth Mental Well-Being Clinic, the Bell Seniors’ Mental Health Clinic, the Slaight Family Foundation Cultural Psychiatry Clinic, and the Ray Gupta and Family Mood & Anxiety Clinic.

In the heart of Scarborough’s Golden Mile district at 1940 Eglinton Ave. E., this highly accessible and inclusive setting features a comforting and spacious waiting area, individual treatment and counselling areas, quiet rooms, collaboration and group spaces, psychiatrist offices, and a pharmacy for client prescriptions. It is designed to achieve:

• A “no wrong door” approach to care. This innovative model connects people to the right treatments based on their condition. This means more intensive services will be available to those who need them.

• Timely access to care. No one should have to wait for mental health care. The centre ensures patients who require urgent care will be contacted within 14 days after receiving a referral, which significantly improves average wait times for access to mental health services.

• Less stigma. By having a beautiful, service-oriented outpatient mental health space with a street-front presence, SHN is making receiving mental health care less intimidating, and reducing the stigma people may experience when seeking treatment.

SHN’s Community Mental Health Centre marks a transformation of mental health care for the Scarborough community and beyond, enabling better integrated and more streamlined access to exceptional quality care.