Free mental health therapy program expands across the region

Carol Lambie (Waypoint President and CEO), Trent Simons
(IASP Therapist, CHIGAMIK), Dr. Rebecca Van Iersel
(Vice-President Clinical, North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN)
& Andrew Shantz (Executive Director, North Simcoe
Family Health Team)

A program that offers free mental health therapy in North Simcoe has expanded

to offer services across the entire region of Simcoe/Muskoka.

The Increasing Access to Structured Psychotherapy (IASP) program offers cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to support, and change, the lives of people with anxiety and depression in our communities. Speaking during Mental Illness Awareness Week, Waypoint President and CEO Carol Lambie announced the expansion is part of a major multi-million dollar investment in mental health care by the province.

“Delivered in a wide-range of settings including primary care, community mental health and family service agencies, the first phase included partners in Midland and Penetanguishene,” said Lambie. “In Phase 2 we are expanding from four service delivery partners to a total of 18 partners across North Simcoe Muskoka, working together to address a gap in community mental health care.”

Services will now be offered in the Couchiching/Orillia area, Muskoka and area, South Georgian Bay/Collingwood, and Barrie and area. It’s anticipated up to a thousand people will be served annually.

Thank you to the Waypoint Implementation Team
Alison Townsend, Jessie Daniel, Dr. Shari McKee,
Alex Hall & Heather Bullock
Missing from photo: Dr. Barbara Crawford

Trent Simons, IASP Therapist from CHIGAMIK Community Health Centre shared that seeing his clients improve gives him a great deal of fulfillment. “In three to four months, I see a return to a passion for life, healed relationships and blossoming lives.”

This three-year demonstration program has an emphasis on providing evidence-based CBT and will be evaluated to inform future programming and possible expansion to other areas of the province. A team of staff from Waypoint has been leading the training of therapists, oversight, and evaluation along with the other provincial partners – the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre and Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences in Whitby.

For more information on this program, visit www.waypointcentre.ca/Programs_and_Services/IASP