The Mental Health, Addictions and Abuse subcommittee of the GBVPCC has released the final report No Wrong Door - Creating a Collaborative Rural Response for Women with Abuse, Mental Health and Addictions Issues.

This report is the result of a one year research and community development project funded by the Ontario Victim Services Secretariat, Ministry of the Attorney General.

The objectives of the project were:
- to identify gaps in service for women with abuse, mental health and/or abuse issues;
- to hear from women how to better meet their service needs;
- to develop community strategies to improve service delviery through coordination and training;
- to develop community strategies to address service gaps that compromise the health and safety of women with multiple needs.

The research identified the following gaps and capacity issues in Grey and Bruce:

- early intervention and prevention strategies
- access to family physicians, pyschiatrists and psychologists
- a recovery home for women in Grey and Bruce
- Information and education for women on concurrent issues
- A voice for women in treatment and service planning/delivery
- Trauma informed counselling services for women with mental health and addiction issues
- Counselling and programs for the children of women with concurrent issues,
- Long term support for women with concurrent issues,
- Community safe places for women with concurrent issues
- Better service access
- A common understanding and approach to women across the service system
- Common screening and assessment processes across the service system
- A collaborative community approach to services
- Coordinated strategies to address stigma surrounding mental health, addiction and abuse issues in the community.

Two community workshops with women dealing with concurrent issues and providers of services from the mental health, addictions and abuse sectors were held to identify strategies and priorities for action.

Six priority areas for change and action were identified:
1. Women of Experience steer the process of change
2. Intersector Collaboration
3. Formal Protocols
4. Common Screening and Assessment Tools
5. Intersector Communication and Intersector Case Coordination
6. Joint Training

The GBVPCC has received funding from the Ministry of Community and Social Services to work with the community to develop follow up plans for implementation of the project report recommendations with mental health, addiction and abuse sectors

A copy of the No Wrong Door Report is attached. Print copies are available by contacting the GBVPCC through the website.