Nov 20, 2008 - 01:29 PM

By Kristen Calis

AJAX -- The mental health beds are officially on their way out of Ajax and into their now home in Scarborough.

In March, the Rouge Valley Health System announced changes within its two hospitals in Ajax and Scarborough in order to alleviate its capital deficiencies and long-term debt of $78 million. Aside from cutting down on staff, the RVHS chose to move Rouge Valley Ajax and Pickering's 20 mental health beds to Rouge Valley Centenary to consolidate its mental health unit, rather than have it split between the two hospitals. In a press release announcing the official move, the RVHS called the bed transfer improvements to its mental health services.

"Our new mental-health model will allow us to improve our patient care and offer a more diverse range of services to patients," said Cheryl Williams, director of mental and emergency services.

To transition the new service model, the emergency and crisis intervention services at both hospitals will be expanded, Ms. Williams said. Crisis support in the emergency departments at both sites will be increased to 16 hours a day, seven days a week. The RVHS website says outpatient services are the most used at the hospital since outpatient care is utilized on an ongoing basis and beds are only used intermittently or for short periods of time.

"All mental health services will continue to be accessed from each hospital campus," she said.

But one patient, Ashley Swalm, who's been vocal throughout the process, hoped the hospital would change its mind. The Ontario Public Services Employees Union took the Central East Local Health Integration Network to court, since the announcement of the change took place without consulting the public. But the Ontario Superior Court of Justice Divisional Court said the LHIN acted within its guidelines.

Ms. Swalm feels her concerns were never listened to. She referred to the April meeting when about 1,000 people showed up to say they wanted the beds to remain in Ajax, which she felt fell upon deaf ears.

"Patients have come out and said they need the beds," Ms. Swalm said.

But, it's not only the hospital she's upset with.

"I think it's the fact that mental health is being neglected by the government," she said.

While the in-patient unit officially moves Friday, Nov. 21, along with the transition to increased crisis hours, other changes will occur in December. On Monday, Dec. 8, the child and adolescent in-patient unit moves from the 10th floor to the 8th floor at Centenary. That day, the new psychiatric intensive care unit opens up on the 10th floor at Centenary after some minor renovations are complete. On Monday, Dec. 15, the medical/psychiatry unit will open on the eighth floor at Centenary, as well as the new child/adolescent unit.

For more information, visit www.rougevalley.ca/improvingmentalhealth.