Calgary (Staff) — Despite critics’ suspicions, health-care reform is not merely a way to cut budgets. It can mean spending the same money differently.
Manitoba’s transfer of mental health programs from hospitals into the community is an example.
Since 1988, $35 million has shifted from hospital mental-health programs to communities for programs like round-the-clock crisis units.
The result has been shorter stays in hospital and fewer readmissions for the mentally ill.
Rather than building new institutions, the government has been shifting beds or services between institutions, said Reg Toews, Manitoba’s assistant deputy minister for provincial mental health services.
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In Winnipeg, 65 adult psychiatric beds closed but in exchange, The Pas got eight beds and Thompson received 10 beds in their general hospitals.
The Interlake, eastern and western parts of the province also can expect increased services.
Traditionally, communities outside Winnipeg had no psychiatric beds and few crisis services, said Toews.
The closed beds in Winnipeg have been replaced by community programs like crisis stabilization units, houses where the average stay is five days.
“We’ve known historically like other provinces we were much too dependent for services on hospital beds,” said Toews.
Teams of eight crisis specialists have been been set up, giving each worker no more than 20 cases rather than triple or four times that number so each patient receives more attention, he said.
If members can’t help over the phone, they go to the patient’s home. So far, they’ve helped 2,000 Manitobans get through 9,000 episodes.
There is still some stigma attached to mental illness and people often gravitate to Winnipeg where almost all the province’s psychiatrists are based.
His department is hoping this new initiative, along with education programs sponsored by self-help associations, will reverse that prejudice and lead people to seek help within their community.
