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LanarkLeedsToday.ca’s Lynda D’Aoust took a look at a major shift in local addiction and mental health care as the new HART Hub prepares to open its first site in Smiths Falls.
Program Director Chris Curry told Lynda the provincially funded model brings has a unique approach.
It also includes supportive programs and housing — something he says has never existed in the region.
Curry told D’Aoust the goal is to make care simple and immediate. Clients can self-refer, with no doctor’s note required, and withdrawal will be fully supervised by medical staff to keep people safe.
Curry says the ultimate goal is simple: help people find stability and ultimately happiness.
The program will support people with complex needs, including homelessness, mental health challenges and substance use involving meth, fentanyl and alcohol.
The Smiths Falls site at 9 Armstrong Drive will welcome its first client on December 8, with a ribbon-cutting set for December 5. A second location in Brockville is expected to open in early spring.
Listen to Lynda’s complete interview below.