First local integrated crisis centre opening to help those facing mental health and addiction struggles

Waterloo region's first ever integrated crisis centre is set to open its doors July 30 and for Mike and Fiona Roth of Waterloo, Ont., it's an important milestone for the community.

Their daughter, Kaitlyn, died by suicide in April 2022 just four days shy of her 21st birthday. 

"When she started to struggle with mental health, we were faced with many barriers in accessing care," Mike said. "Long wait times at the emergency room, where we learned, is not a suitable place to treat mental illness."

Officials with the Kitchener centre say they hope the space will better accommodate people who need mental health help.

Stemming from a partnership between Thresholds and the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington, the centre aims to provide specialized care for individuals experiencing mental health and substance-use crises.

It will pose as an alternate destination to hospitals, diverting individuals away from overwhelmed emergency rooms to a more suitable environment for comprehensive care.

The centre is located at 298 Lawrence Avenue in Kitchener and features home-like decor, a kitchen and five separate rooms for patient use.

The goal is to eventually serve the community on a 24/7 basis, but until funding is secured, it will be open Tuesday to Saturday from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m.

The estimated cost to run a fully funded clinic of its kind is just under $3 million.

"When people are in a mental health and addictions crisis, they need a quiet, calm space designed specifically for them based on trauma-informed principles of care," Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington CEO Helen Fishburn said during a media preview event.

Anyone over 18 years old can admit themselves to the free clinic where there will be "skilled and compassionate staff from both CMHA and Thresholds, as well as a number of other mental health and addictions providers, locally," Fishburn said. 

She adds staff will be from different disciplines to best provide the kind of care people need, including walk-in support, crisis intervention services and referrals. 

Kaitlyn Roth is remembered by her parents as a bright, compassionate and kind-hearted young woman who naturally made others feel heard and welcome in any situation. 

She was a third-year student at the University of Waterloo who had dreams of eventually working with children with special needs.