On Thursday morning, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Deb Matthews paid a visit to the Village Family Health Team to help officially open their doors to the community.

Village Family Health Team will bring together family physicians, nurses, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists and other professionals to provide health care for the community, including patients who do not have a family doctor. 

Media look on as Dr. Catherine Zahn, President and CEO, CAMH welcomes Deb Matthews, Minister of Health to the Village Family Health Team.

This will be the first family health team formally linked to a mental health and addictions hospital, ensuring that a full range of mental illness and addiction treatment is woven into the mix of primary health care services being provided to the community.

“This is a landmark initiative for CAMH,” said CAMH President and CEO Dr. Catherine Zahn. “Not only will more people in the community be able to receive primary healthcare services close to home, but those with serious mental health problems will be able to have their needs met –a population that has historically had trouble accessing primary care due to stigma and discrimination.”

“It’s a model for the future.”

One of six Family Health Health Teams that have recently opened in Toronto, Village FHT is now accepting new patients who live in the catchment area. For more information, visit www.villagefht.ca or call 416-599-VFHT (8348).

For more information on family health teams, visit the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care website.