Oshawa, ON (April 4, 2025) - Lakeridge Health, one of Ontario’s largest integrated health-care systems, and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), a world-renowned facility and Canada’s leading mental health teaching hospital, are pleased to announce a first-of-its kind partnership aimed at transforming mental health care in Durham Region.
Together, Lakeridge Health and CAMH’s mission is to transform mental health care in Durham Region through a replicable model of academic and clinical excellence, delivering accessible, high-quality care close to home. This collaboration will spark transformative change in Durham Region, improving the lives of those living with mental health challenges and empowering them to embark on a path toward best health, resilience, and success.
“This a significant milestone for Durham Region,” said Cynthia Davis, President and CEO, Lakeridge Health. "Our individual and collective health truly depends on a collaborative, patient-focused approach where silos are removed, and organizations work together toward shared goals. This is at the core of Lakeridge Health’s mental health strategy, Together, Best Mental Health. Today's announcement not only reinforces our commitment to strengthening urgent and emergency mental health care right here at home, but it is also an open invitation for other organizations to join us in partnership for even greater impact."
Sarah Downey, President and CEO, CAMH, added: “Advancing mental health care means building capacity across the system. Partnerships like this are a key driver of our Connected CAMH strategic plan. We are bringing our clinical, research, and education expertise together with Lakeridge Health’s breadth of clinical expertise and deep community roots, to improve access to integrated care in Durham and beyond.”
Overall, Lakeridge Health sees more than 100,000 mental health visits a year for adults, more than 12,000 visits for children and youth, and more than 14,000 annual visits to its Emergency Departments related to mental health and substance abuse. According to the Region of Durham, in 2022, approximately 42 people per 100,000 residents experienced homelessness, with projections indicating an increase to 62 per 100,000 by 2025. Additionally, in any given year, Canadian statistics show that one in five people will experience or be impacted by mental health illness and addictions issues.
“This innovative partnership between Lakeridge Health and CAMH exemplifies our commitment to recovery-based mental health and addictions programs,” said Dan Carter, Mayor of Oshawa. “Working together, we will transform mental health care, providing integrated care solutions that fully support individuals on their path to long-term recovery.”
This unique partnership is truly going to be life-changing for many patients, clients and family members affected by mental health illnesses and addictions. As Dr. Kevin Chopra, Chief of Psychiatry and Medical Director of Mental Health, Lakeridge Health, said, “The coming together of lived experience, clinical expertise and academic excellence is the recipe we need right now for integrated, compassionate and personalized mental health care in Durham Region and beyond.”
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About Lakeridge Health
With five hospitals, four emergency departments, three critical care units, a long-term care home, a full range of medical and surgical specialties, more than 20 community health-care locations and a state-of-the-art surgical centre within the Jerry Coughlan Health & Wellness Centre, Lakeridge Health offers some of the broadest and most comprehensive acute care, ambulatory care, and long-term care services in Ontario.
Lakeridge Health is also home to several regional specialty centres and services, including the Central East Regional Cancer Program, R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre, The Shoulder Centre, eye care, thoracic, gynecology oncology and chronic kidney disease services. Additionally, we are proud to serve our community with a full suite of inpatient, ambulatory, and community-based mental health and addictions services, and provide safe, high-quality, compassionate care in our state-of-the-art long-term care home, Lakeridge Gardens.
Lakeridge Health is redefining the future of health care through transformative research, dynamic academic partnerships, and groundbreaking clinical trials. With over 140 active studies, we’re at the forefront of advancing medical knowledge, expanding treatment options, and improving the lives of our patients. Our one-of-a-kind Queen's-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program is on the leading edge of training the next generation of primary care doctors. Each year, over 3,000 students and trainees are supported by the Lakeridge Health Education and Research Network (LHEARN). Through our innovative collaboration with Ontario Tech University, we’re also harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence to revolutionize patient care. Together with our academic, community, and industry partners, Lakeridge Health is tackling the toughest health challenges and elevating the quality of care for the communities we serve.
Guided by our vision of One System. Best Health. and supported by a dedicated team of nearly 9,000 staff, physicians, and volunteers, Lakeridge Health is a proud member of the Durham Ontario Health Team (Durham OHT) and works in collaboration with the Durham OHT, as well as primary care, and community and government partners to foster a truly integrated, regional system of care. Together, we are focused on empowering people to live their best health and fostering an accessible, inclusive, and equitable environment for all.
For more information, please contact:
Lakeridge Health
communications@lh.ca
About the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital and a world leading research centre in this field. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental illness and addiction. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. For more information, please visit camh.ca, or follow @CAMHnews on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
For more information, please contact:
CAMH
media@camh.ca
