Medavie kickstarts Mental Health & Addictions Ignition Fund with $100,000 donation
JANUARY 25, 2023
The QEH Foundation launched a Mental Health & Addictions Ignition fund on January 24, 2023, that was kickstarted with a generous donation of $100,000 from Medavie. Donations to this fund will support mental health equipment needs for upcoming expansions including the QEH mental health and addictions emergency department and short stay unit currently under construction. Pictured by the new build are QEH Foundation Board Chair John Gaudet, left, and Medavie Health Services Vice President, Operations, Matthew Crossman.
On January 24th the QEH Foundation established the Mental Health & Addictions Ignition Fund. This new initiative will support medical equipment needs for upcoming expansions to the mental health services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. In a tremendous show of support, Medavie, through the Medavie Foundation, has kickstarted the fund with a gift of $100,000.
The first of its kind for the charity, this ignition fund will expedite the equipment-funding process by raising funds in advance that can be committed immediately when needs arise.
The PEI government is currently constructing and staffing a mental health & addictions emergency department and short stay unit, which will be co-located with at QEH emergency department. Slated for completion in November 2023, there are approximately $300,000 in technology and equipment needs. Future plans include upgrades to tele-psychiatry equipment and the development of a mental health and addictions child and youth acute care unit.
Matthew Crossman, Vice President, Operations at Medavie Health Services says Medavie is proud to support medical equipment needs for these transformational health care initiatives.
“At Medavie, we are committed to the communities we serve and are proud to invest, through our Foundation, in solutions that help to address some of Canada’s most pressing health care challenges – including mental health and addictions,” shared Matthew Crossman. “We know that now, more than ever, we need to find ways to increase access to mental health and addictions supports to ensure Islanders can receive high quality care when and where they need it.”
John Gaudet, QEH Foundation Board Chair, says the Medavie Foundation’s gift is a message of support to the Island community.
“We’re grateful that Medavie, through its Foundation, has chosen to invest in mental health care for Islanders,” says Gaudet. “We thank them for placing this trust in our new initiative and leading the way for this fund to grow with support from other like-minded and generous donors.”
The equipment list for the new mental health services at QEH includes tele-psychiatry units, blanket warmers, automated cabinets for medication tracking, and specialized furniture to comfort patients in distress.