Congratulations to the Mental Health team of CIUSSS West-Central Montreal! As we mark Mental Health Week from May 5 to 11, the team is celebrating its success in improving patients’ access to the care they need.
In under one year, the number of people on waiting lists for mental health services in our CIUSSS has dropped significantly. Last June, 622 people were waiting more than 30 days to be evaluated or oriented to services. By late March this year, that number had plunged to 56—and they’re waiting on average only seven days.
“I’m proud of what’s been achieved, because patients are getting access faster to the right care at the right time,” says Chantal Sfeir, Coordinator of Outpatient Mental Health Services for the Adult sector. “We’re able to offer care to this vulnerable clientele as rapidly as possible.”
The Adult Mental Health Access Mechanism (MASMA), part of a province-wide initiative by the Quebec Ministry of Health, is a gateway to mental health services in our CIUSSS. Made up mainly of social workers and nurses, the team streamlines the delivery of services by reducing barriers and ensuring uninterrupted support to patients.
Their keys to success? Recruitment, better triage of requests, a simplified admission process—and managers who spend time in the field with the mental-health team, says Ms. Sfeir.
They also promote collaboration with other services within our CIUSSS, along with public and community partners. The team has embraced the “No wrong door” philosophy, which allows people to access help regardless of their initial entry point.
The approach reflects our CIUSSS’s adoption of Care Everywhere, which seeks to provide patients with the right care at the right time in the location that is the safest, most appropriate and most convenient for the patient.
“We’re proud of what we were able to accomplish is such a short time,” Ms. Sfeir says. “It really demonstrates the dedication and professionalism of our team.”
The theme of Mental Health Week 2025 is Unmasking Mental Health. The Canadian Mental Health Association is encouraging people to look beyond the surface and see the whole person.
