Hastings and Prince Edward Counties’ Homeless and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub (HART Hub HPE) and Loyalist College are joining forces to strengthen the region’s mental health and addictions workforce. As the HART Hub HPE begins delivering recovery and treatment services across the region, collaboration with the college is helping build a strong local supply of trained professionals ready to meet community needs.
“With HART Hub HPE services, our neighbours and the clients we serve can find hope through an easy-to-navigate path to recovery,” says Lisa Ali, CEO of CMHA Hastings Prince Edward. “But this also means that as local services and programs continue to expand, the need for skilled professionals to fill these important roles is going to keep growing. Loyalist College’s new mental health programs are a critical part of our mission — training workers and creating jobs is part of our by-our-community, for-our-community model.”
To help meet the region’s increasing demand for mental health supports, Loyalist College has launched a two-year Mental Health and Addictions Worker diploma and a one-year Addictions and Mental Health graduate certificate. Members of the HART Hub HPE team are helping to inform program development through participation on the college’s Program Advisory Committee (PAC), which bring together industry leaders to guide curriculum and advise on labour needs. Future placement opportunities with HART Hub HPE funding will further connect Loyalist students with frontline experience supporting individuals and families affected by mental health and addiction challenges.
“The HART Hub partners and Loyalist College share a common goal: ensuring our community has the skilled professionals needed to support mental health and addictions services,” said Dr. Amanda Baskwill, Senior Vice President, Academic and Chief Learning Officer at Loyalist. “Loyalist’s close relationship with our community partners ensures that students graduating from the new mental health programs are prepared to enter the field with the professionalism and compassion needed to support individuals and families on their path to recovery.”
To learn more about the new programs being offered at Loyalist College check out Loyalist’s Mental Health and Addictions Worker or Addictions and Mental Health (Post-graduate) programs.
