Interview with Kerry Dault, Manager of Crisis Services CMHA SC
When the pandemic struck, those who manage crisis services for CMHA reacted decisively. “It was like a whirlwind in March. The Agency has to make quick adjustments,” said Kerry Dault, the program manager of crisis services. The first priority was to find a new and safe home for those in crisis beds because CARAH house did not allow for proper physical distancing to meet public health measures.
That meant seeking emergency funding to move crisis beds to a local hotel, a request that was green-lighted by funders in August, a testament to the role played by Ontario Health (Central Region). The task was not simple: The crisis team not only had to move clients but its entire operation, including five phones, printers and office equipment.
Even after clearing a hotel room of its bed and furniture, one room wasn’t enough, so the new office space had to be created in two rooms separated by a hallway, a change that meant new procedures to ensure calls and work were coordinated despite the physical obstacles. That meant increasing the frequency of virtual staff meetings from monthly to weekly. At the hotel, each client was given a room, with laundry and food prep done off-site during weekdays and ordering out on the weekends.
Staff created a more flexible timeline to discharge clients, Dault said. And staff had to be vigilant in safeguarding clients in a hotel that is not exclusive to those accessing the crisis program. To protect crisis clients from the novel coronavirus, staff screened for symptoms and took temperatures.
Those changes to sustain crisis services were clearly needed. From May to December 2020, the volume of calls to the Crisis Line surged compared to the same months in 2019, with monthly year-to-year increases usually between 20 and 30 percent, CMHA data shows. The Crisis Team has shown the true spirit of CMHA, responding to global crisis to ensure our clients receive their care.