Page 7 - GBGH Foundation - Mental Health Case For Support

Our community has far higher than average mental Emergency Department Wait
health care needs. Why is that? Times for Mental Health Admission

Driven by limited resources, a rapidly growing substance abuse
problem in Simcoe County and many other social determinants of
health including lower incomes and a lack of access to affordable

housing, our region is experiencing two to three times higher than
TORONTO NORTH SIMCOE
the provincial average for mental health care needs. CENTRAL MUSKOKA

How long do you have to wait for mental health care
in our region?

We have a critical shortage of acute mental health beds in Less Than 12 Hours 18-24 Hours 36+ Hours

our region. During 2024/25, 60% of mental health patients who 12-18 Hours 24-36 Hours
presented to an emergency department in North Simcoe Muskoka
*GBGH data compiled from the Decision Support Unit 2025.
waited more than 12 hours for admission to a mental health bed.

And, 23% waited more than 48 hours.
Emergency Department Discharge
Time to Mental Health Bed <12 hours

“We recently had a patient waiting here for

over 100 hours to see a psychiatrist. That’s
not helping them get any better and, in some

cases, it’s escalating their condition because 61.8% 31.2%
Provincial
GBGH
they are not getting the care they need.” Average Average
– MATTHEW LAWSON,
PRESIDENT & CEO, GBGH

MENTAL HEALTH CASE FOR SUPPORT • 7