The Lawson Health Research Institute is hoping the province will adopt the Transitional Discharge Model, which helps reintegrate those who have suffered a mental health crisis into the community.
The TDM is a result of a multi -year, Ontario -wide study which proved that those being discharged from psychiatric wards need a "safety net" while in between care.
"We need to assist someone who's had a psychiatric admission make that transition back to community. The one component is that the hospital staff stay involved until there's a therapeutic relationship with the community care provider so there's not an interruption of the professional services," says Dr. Cheryl Forchuk, who notes part two oft he TDM is just as vital as health care support. "Peer support means that someone who has gone through a similar experience, who is living in the community and has had a mental illness themselves can provide friendship and support to that person through that transition process. It really provides a lot of hope."
43% of suicides occur during the first month of a patient being discharged.
Through the program researchers found fewer patients were re-admitted to psychiatric wards and felt less overwhelmed.
Length of stay was reduced by an average of 116 days per client, amounting to over $12-million in freed bed space and roughly $4,400 less in hospital costs per person in the year following discharge.
The goal is to have the TDM be the practice of each hospital across the province.
As of right now, the model is in place at nine sites in Ontario, including London.