Canada’s First Dedicated Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Treatment Centres to be built in Onatrio
Jan. 29, 2025
Global Korean Post
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The Ontario government is expanding access to comprehensive mental health and rehabilitation treatment for first responders affected by work-related stress or trauma, including post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI), by investing in the construction of Runnymede Healthcare Centre’s Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Centre of Excellence for First Responders. This new funding builds on the $10.7 million the government previously invested to support early capital planning for Runnymede Healthcare Centre’s two new facilities.
The province’s investment will support the construction of two new facilities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to deliver comprehensive PTSI rehabilitation-focused programs and services tailored to the needs of first responders and support them throughout their journey to recovery. Services include mental health assessments, rehabilitation and residential treatment, virtual care, 24/7 crisis support, peer support and navigation support.
In Toronto, the new facility will focus on providing rehabilitative services including assessment, intensive outpatient therapy, and aftercare, while housing recreation programs and facilities that encourage health and recovery. The new facility in Caledon will provide 40 residential beds to connect first responders to tailored and comprehensive treatment services.
As a next step, the ministry is working with Runnymede Healthcare Centre to complete planning and design for this project. A construction schedule will be confirmed once future planning is complete and the project is tendered and awarded.
It is estimated up to 23 per cent of first responders and public safety personnel suffer from PTSI, a higher rate than that of the general population. Once opened, the Runnymede Healthcare Centre will provide care to 1,500 workers each year, accommodating 41,700 visits. Over time, this program has the potential to expand to serve additional volumes and frontline professions, improving access to safe, tailored and effective supports when and where they are needed.
by Global Korean Post
