New Mental Health and Addictions Day Hospital Now Open in Kentville
The community room at the new mental health and addictions day hospital in Kentville (Communications Nova Scotia)
A new day hospital in Kentville is offering intensive mental health and addictions care for people in the western health zone, which includes the Annapolis Valley, South Shore and Southwest region.
A team of mental health specialists, including a psychiatrist, mental health nurses and social workers, provides individual psychiatric treatments and therapeutic group programs. Patients are at the hospital during the day and return home in the evening.
“We are committed to providing Nova Scotians with better and easier access to mental health and addictions services, while matching them with the right level of care from the most appropriate professionals,” said Brian Comer, Minister of Addictions and Mental Health. “Mental health day hospitals are an important part of the system and are helping people get better care closer to home and their support networks while being able to keep up with their regular routine.”
The ’zen den’ at the new day hospital (Communications Nova Scotia)
The Kentville hospital is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and can expand to seven days a week as the staffing complement increases.
People are referred to the hospital through community mental health clinics and emergency departments. People discharged from inpatient psychiatric care may also be referred to the day hospital for followup care.
Quotes:
“The new mental health day hospital in Kentville offers an important alternative for those needing more intensive care without hospital admission. Our multidisciplinary team works closely with each person to support their mental health and well-being.”
— Dr. Ahmed Saleh, co-lead and Head of Psychiatry, Western Zone Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health
Quick Facts:
- mental health and addictions day hospitals help reduce wait times for hospital psychiatric care and increase the availability of inpatient psychiatric beds for people requiring urgent or crisis care
- this is the third day hospital to open in Nova Scotia over the last two years; the others, in Halifax and Sydney, have had more than 3,500 visits, providing care for 290 people
- June 5 marked the one-year anniversary of the Sydney day hospital, which has had more than 1,000 visits and provided 74 people the care they need
- the Province is providing about $1.4 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year for the Kentville day hospital
- people needing treatment and care for mental health and addictions can contact the mental health and addictions intake service at 1-855-922-1122 to be matched with appropriate services
The music room at the new day hospital in Kentville (Communications Nova Scotia)