MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
July 19, 201
London Health Sciences Centre launches new peer support program
(LONDON, Ontario) – Mental health inpatients at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) now have access to a new peer support program aimed at helping them cope with addiction issues they are facing along with their mental health concerns.
The New Horizons Resource Room has been created to provide a safe and supportive environment for patients facing concurrent mental health and addiction challenges to access information and peer to peer support. Peer support groups are facilitated by registered nurses in the mental health program. The room also serves as a resource library for patients seeking their own independent learning in this area.
“We know that there is a strong correlation between mental health issues and addiction. For many years, the two have been treated separately, not always with great success. Our hope is that by providing this new source of support for our patients, the healing and recovery can be a more seamless process”, says Beth Mitchell, Director, Mental Health Care Program.
Funding for this room was generously donated by The Agape Foundation of London and The Blackburn Foundation.
An open house is being held today at 3pm to introduce staff, donors and community partners to the room. Media wishing to attend are asked to page Kathy Leblanc at pager 14772 or email kathy.leblanc@lhsc.on.ca to arrange a media escort.
About London Health Sciences Centre
London Health Sciences Centre has been in the forefront of medicine in Canada for 137 years and offers the broadest range of specialized clinical services in Ontario. Building on the traditions of its founding hospitals to provide compassionate care in an academic teaching setting, London Health Sciences Centre is home to Children’s Hospital, South Street Hospital, University Hospital, Victoria Hospital, two family medical centres, and two research institutes – Children’s Health Research Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute, a joint research initiative with St. Joseph’s Health Care London. As a leader in medical discovery and health research, London Health Sciences Centre has a history of over 50 international and national firsts and attracts top clinicians and researchers from around the world. As a regional referral centre, London Health Sciences Centre cares for the most medically complex patients including critically injured adults and children in southwestern Ontario and beyond. The hospital’s nearly 15,000 staff, physicians, students and volunteers provide care for more than one million patient visits a year. For more information visit www.lhsc.on.ca.
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For media inquiries contact:
Kathy Leblanc
Corporate Communications and Public Relations
London Health Sciences Centre
519-685-8500, ext. 74772
kathy.leblanc@lhsc.on.ca
After-hours assistance:
Call LHSC Switchboard at 519-685-8500 and ask to page the communication consultant on-call
Visit the LHSC Media web site at www.lhsc.on.ca/media
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