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Bill 277, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Amendment Act (Supporting Individuals in their Homes and Communities with Assistive Devices for Mental Health), 2021

Kernaghan, Terence

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Acts affected

Original

Bill 277 Original (PDF)

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

The Bill adds a new subsection to

section 6 of

the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Act that requires

the Minister to ensure that the Assistive Devices Program, or any other similar

program established to provide access to assistive devices to support

individuals with health needs, includes assistive devices to support

individuals with mental health needs and any related data plans required to

connect those devices.

Bill 277 2021

Act to amend the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Act with respect to assistive

devices to support individuals with mental health needs in their homes and

communities

Preamble

New

technological devices are emerging to support individuals with mental health

needs who are living at home. Assistive devices for mental health needs may allow

individuals to access medical and counselling appointments on a virtual basis, have

their heart rate, physical activity and sleep data electronically relayed to

health care providers and have their medications dispensed automatically at prescribed

times.

pilot study recently conducted through St. Joseph’s Health Care London in

London, Ontario, determined that a hospital bed for one individual with mental

health needs costs $454 per day, or $165,710 per year. Conversely, providing assistive

devices for mental health needs to that same individual living at home,

including licensing and billing fees, costs $12,000 per year. The pilot study

also determined that study participants who lived at home but had access to assistive

devices for mental health needs felt more empowered, more mobile, more

integrated in their communities and less isolated. The assistive devices also

supported greater independent living, greater self-care, less pain and fewer

visits to a health or social service provider or a hospital’s emergency

department.

The

pilot study concluded that 78 per cent of the study participants found assistive

devices for their mental health needs improved their overall health.

Therefore,

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of

the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Section 6 of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Act

is amended by adding the following subsection:

Devices

to support mental health

(3) The

Minister shall ensure that the Assistive Devices Program established under

paragraph 4 of subsection (1), or any other similar program established to

provide access to assistive devices to support individuals with health needs,

includes assistive devices to support individuals with mental health needs and

any related data plans required to connect those devices.

Commencement

This Act comes into force 90 days after the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short

title

The

short title of this Act is the Ministry of Health and

Long-Term Care Amendment Act (Supporting Individuals in their Homes and

Communities with Assistive Devices for Mental Health), 2021 .

Date Bill stage Event Outcome Committee

May 17, 2021

Second Reading

Vote

Lost on division

May 13, 2021

Second Reading

Deferred vote

May 13, 2021

Second Reading

Debated

April 15, 2021

First Reading

Vote

Carried

Debates and Progress

First Reading

April 15, 2021

Committee

Second Reading

May 13, 2021

Mr. Terence Kernaghan, Mrs. Robin Martin, Mrs. Lisa Gretzky, Miss Monique Taylor, Mr. John Vanthof

Vote deferred.

May 17, 2021

Lost on recorded division.

Committee

Third Reading

Royal Assent

Acts affected - Bill 277

Most Ontario public acts are available electronically; to view copies of the Acts to be amended by this bill visit e-laws

Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Act

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

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