Media statement re: Ontario Provincial Budget

TORONTO, May 4, 2017 /CNW/ - Long before Canada had universal health care, Catholic religious congregations founded health organizations to provide care and treatment for the sick and vulnerable. Today, Catholic sponsored and other faith based organizations remain valued members of our health care system.

Catholic Health Care sponsored organizations have a historic and strong tradition of providing compassionate care centred on the person - body, mind and spirit. A main area of focus is providing services to the disadvantaged and marginalized given our legacy in providing care to society's vulnerable.

CHAO is encouraged to see the investments in mental health, dementia, palliative care and supportive housing including:

• Providing more than $3.7 billion in ongoing funding for mental health and addiction services, including those for children and youth.
• The province's February 2017 announcement of an additional $140 million over three
  years to advance the expansion of evidence-based mental health initiatives.
• This year's $73 million to be allocated over three years to provide greater access to a
  publicly-funded structured psychotherapy for anxiety and depression. Ontario is the
  first province in Canada to commit to a publicly-funded psychotherapy program.
• The more than $45 million to be invested over three years to provide up to 1,550
  additional supportive housing units for those with serious mental illness or addictions.
• The $100 million will be invested over three years to launch Ontario's Dementia
  Strategy.

CHAO and its members recognize the positive adjustments to the provincial healthcare budget including:

• A 3 per cent increase to the total health budget over last year to bring it to $53.8 billion.
• An investment of $518 million will provide a 3 per cent increase to the hospital sector to support vital hospital services, address wait times, and maintain access to elective surgeries.
• All hospitals will receive a minimum 2 per cent increase.

Catholic Health Care sponsored organizations are supportive of the investments made in our health care system and is working with the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) to achieve its transformation strategy for our health system.

ABOUT CHAO

• We are a provincial association of the Ontario Catholic hospitals, nursing homes, homes for the aged and community nursing services represented by 29 organizations on 35 sites. Our membership also includes 6 Roman Catholic congregations and lay groups that sponsor these facilities and the Association of Catholic Bishops of Ontario.
• The Catholic health ministry offers a holistic approach to health care where the emphasis is on a respect for the innate dignity of the person. The focus of care is the total person, meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the individual. This includes the commitment to health care that is focused on healing, cure where possible, the restoration to health, and to the biological, physical, social, emotional and spiritual support of the person.

SOURCE Catholic Health Association of Ontario

Ron Noble, President and CEO, Catholic Health Association of Ontario, 416 549 1632