LONGOS $5-MILLION GIFT WILL IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE

TRILLIUM HEALTH PARTNERS RECORD 65% INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS

Longo Family Foundation's record $5-million gift to Trillium Health Partners will be "incredibly transformational" to its mental health care and research, hospital officials say.

The gift will enable Trillium Health Partners' (THP) Institute for Better Health mental health care research and innovation to plan new models of care focusing on prevention, early detection, equitable access, and patient-centred treatment.

Comprised of Credit Valley Hospital, the Mississauga Hospital and Etobicoke's Queensway Health Centre, THP is one of the largest community-based hospital systems in Canada.

A portion of the gift will support modern, new facilities at the new Peter Gilgan Mississauga Hospital — including new mental health in-patient beds, and a new, extended emergency department with dedicated mental health space and ambulatory care clinics.

Karli Farrow, THP president and CEO, said at a Nov. 22 news conference that THP is working to redesign the way mental health care is prevented, detected, accessed and treated.

"In order to ensure that our community has access to equitable, life-saving mental health care when they need it, THP must not only build a new hospital, but we have to reimagine the mental health care system as it exists today — to create intentional and equitable and timely treatment that's compassionate

and highly dignified for individuals with mental health conditions."

Since 2020, THP has seen a 65 per cent increase in mental health patients waiting for hospital beds and "too many" admitted patients remain in THP emergency departments, Farrow said.

"We're also seeing more patients with more complex mental health and addiction issues, more than ever before, and this has been compounded by the stresses of the pandemic," she said.

The need for more- and better-integrated mental health care "has never been greater in Ontario," and "nowhere is the need greater" than in Mississauga and west Toronto, communities served by THP, Farrow said.

"The volume and complexity and types of mental health care we're seeing is changing," Farrow said. "Quite simply, despite all our efforts to date, the current mental health system is challenging for individuals and families to access and navigate, and we all have a role to play in improving this."

For example, virtual therapy tested successfully during the pandemic, she noted.

THP's mental health program offers a broad range of adult in-patient care and outpatient care services for all ages.

"We're advancing standardized, evidence-based approaches to care to ensure every patient gets the treatment they need when they need it," she said. "Our highly regarded specialty programs focus on acute intervention and recovery with attention paid to measuring the impact and improving outcomes."

Rosanne Longo, Longo's spokesperson and brand ambassador, said the nearly 57-year family-operated company has a holistic view of health — from highquality food to better access to mental health care services and supports.

"The ongoing pandemic has, without question, highlighted social disparities and increasing need for mental health care," she said. "Our family foundation is delighted to support Trillium Health Partners' commitment to redesign mental health care, and to help fund modern, new hospital spaces to provide the care a growing community needs and deserves."

Dr. Dante Morra, chief of staff and president, THP Solutions at Trillium Health Partners, said the Longo gift not only helps THP deliver one of Canada's

largest hospitals, but also "future models" of mental health care.

"You need philanthropy to deliver the research and innovation agenda," Morra said. "We're redesigning the delivery system of mental health. Your gift allows us (to do that) . ... The work that we will do won't just be for Mississauga and west Toronto, it will be for the world and for the country."

Caroline Riseboro, Trillium Health Partners Foundation president & CEO, said Longo has donated more than $1M to THP over the past 30 years.

"This landmark $5-million donation will increase hospital capacity and allow Trillium Health Partners to provide mental health care that reflects the leading-edge standards of care in a modern facility that promotes healing and comfort," Riseboro said.

"We're also seeing more patients with more complex mental health and addiction issues, more than ever before, and this has been compounded by the stresses of the pandemic." - Karli Farrow, THP president and CEO