Kingston city council approves temporary funding for ICH, provincial funding uncertain – Kingston | 24CA News
Community members are awaiting a response from the province relating to a renewal of funding for the Kingston-based Integrated Care Hub (ICH).
The facility, close to Belle Park, is being funded briefly by the province till the top of June this 12 months. But as Carol Ravnaas, with the addictions and psychological well being providers unit at KFL&A Public Health, put it at a council assembly on Tuesday evening, if there isn’t a renewal of funding then the hub must wind down.
That’s why the town accepted non permanent funding for the ICH, with $500,000 going to help the ability for one more few months.
“We don’t know that we are going to replenish it again,” Coun. Gregory Ridge stated. “This was a decision that was made on a one-time basis due to the fact that the province has not yet made a decision about their funding.”
The hub had beforehand obtained $2.3 million in funding from the province over two years in 2022. That funding ended on March 31 this 12 months.
Ravnaas stated the hub will proceed working because it usually does.
“The ICH is really a place where those who are homeless, (the) most vulnerable and in need of care, are able to go to. It operates 24-7,” she stated. “The important part about that is if it didn’t work 24-7, really, it would have an impact on emergency services.”
Ridge famous that workers on the hub took half in additional than 970 emergency division diversions final 12 months, one thing he stated may have a domino impact if ICH ceases to function.
“If we were to suddenly cut off the funding, that could have a significant effect not only in the immediate community, but also in our emergency department,” he stated.
— with recordsdata from Global’s Kaytlyn Poberznick
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