Durham Mental Health Services (DMHS) and Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores) have a rich history of providing vital mental health services in the community. As the demand for coordinated, accessible and exemplary care continues to increase, the Boards of both organizations fully support DMHS and Ontario Shores exploring opportunities for greater collaboration to enhance mental health care services in the region. This could result in a number of options such as remaining collaborative partners with stand-alone organizations, deepening partnerships in operational functions, up to an amalgamated organization with a single operational and governance structure that respects the collective tradition and excellence of both organizations.
“Durham Mental Health Services provides a vital role in the delivery of much needed mental health services in our community,” says Karim Mamdani, President and CEO, Ontario Shores. “We look forward to our continued collaboration with DMHS as we look to collectively identify opportunities to advance care for our current and future clients.” Both organizations have worked closely together to support the mental health needs in the region and have a proven track record of delivering client-centred, evidence-based care. These include housing initiatives, clinical collaborations to support the continuum of care, and education and awareness events. “This is a collaborative process between both organizations where we will look to leverage each other’s strengths and expertise to enhance the mental health care system,” says Rob Adams, President and CEO, DMHS. “Through this process we will seek input from clients, staff and partners to ensure their perspectives have been shared as we prepare for future collaborative opportunities.” This work will begin right away with the goal of providing a recommendation and possible implementation plan to their respective boards later this fall. For those who would like to share feedback, please visit the websites of each organization to submit comments.
For more information, please contact: Linda Skene, Administration Director Durham Mental Health Services 905.666.0831 ext. 3226 lskene@dmhs.ca
https://dmhs.ca/contact/provide-feedback
For more information, please contact: Andrea Marshall Director, Communications, Volunteer Services and CEOD Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences 905.430.4055 ext. 6581 905.439.0224 marshalla@ontarioshores.ca
