The Royal says its new mental health urgent care clinic will open to the public on Monday, offering first-of-its-kind service in eastern Ontario to adults experiencing a mental health crisis. The new Minto Greenberg Urgent Care Clinic will offer mental health assessment, treatment, and short-term follow-up support for people who need urgent help, but who do not require emergency department care, the Royal says. Services include psychiatric assessments, crisis counselling, medication recommendations, system navigation support and connections to community and hospital-based resources. “Too many people experiencing a mental health crisis face barriers when trying to access timely care,” said Cara Vaccarino, President and CEO of The Royal, in a news release. “The Minto Greenberg Urgent Care Clinic will provide a new pathway into the mental health system, connecting people with specialized assessment, treatment and support at a critical moment in their recovery journey. We are deeply grateful to The Minto Greenberg Legacy Foundation for helping make this vision a reality and expanding access to care for our community.” The Royal says the Minto Greenberg Legacy Foundation made a “transformational” $2.5 million donation toward the creation of the clinic. “When we were introduced to the concept of opening an urgent care clinic at The Royal, one of the things that most inspired us was the ability to give direct assistance, from experts in the field of mental health, to people who are in crisis,” said Minto Greenberg Legacy Foundation director Roger Greenberg. In May, The Royal launched its $75 million “Lives Reclaimed” fundraiser, which also contributed to the construction of the clinic. The clinic is located at The Royal’s Carling Avenue campus and is intended for adults 18 years or older experiencing a mental health crisis who require immediate support but are not experiencing a life-threatening emergency. It will operate Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will accept walk-ins as well as referrals from local emergency departments, transfers from Ottawa Paramedic Service and drop-offs from Mobile Crisis Response Teams through the Ottawa Police Service.
