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Geriatric Psychiatry - Outpatient & Outreach Services

What are the Outpatient & Outreach Services?

Located at the Providence Care - Mental Health Services site in Kingston and locations across Southeastern Ontario, the Outpatient & Outreach Services work with seniors and their caregivers to treat clients with late onset, complex mental health needs in their homes or on an outpatient basis. Outpatient & Outreach Services are provided in the following ways:

Outpatient & Ambulatory Services

The Outpatient Service see clients at the Providence Care - Mental Health Services site in Kingston, while Ambulatory Services also provides outreach to people living in Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington, Hastings, and Prince Edward.

Geriatric Psychiatry Outreach Teams

Multidisciplinary Outreach Teams provide community-based assessment, consultation, short-term treatment, and follow-up for clients and families at their place of residence.

Psychogeriatric Resource Consultants

The Psychogeriatric Resource Consultants support staff working in long-term care facilities and community agencies that serve seniors with dementia and/or mental health problems and difficult behaviours.

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What do the Outpatient & Outreach Services do?

Outpatient & Outreach Services provide intake and triage for all referrals to Specialized Geriatric Psychiatric Services.. The triage process determines both the urgency of the referral as well as the most appropriate venue for the assessment of the client's health. The assessement examines the client's:

  • physical, cognitive and mental health,
  • social and economic status,
  • behaviour,
  • self-care abilities, and
  • personal physical environment.

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Who is eligible for the Outpatient & Outreach Services?

All referrals to Outpatient & Outreach Services require the agreement of the client's family physician. The following clients are eligible for care from Outpatient & Outreach Services:

  • seniors with late onset mental health, cognitive and/or behavioural disturbance,
  • seniors with late onset concurrent disorder - i.e. substance misuse and mental health problems.

Individuals with long-standing mental health issues are served by adult services, however specialty consultation is available for individuals with age-related complications. Although most clients referred are over the age of 65, age is not a limiting referral criteria.

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How is a patient referred to the Outpatient & Outreach Services?

Referral to Outpatient & Ambulatory Services

Clients are usually referred to Outpatient & Ambulatory Services from the client’s family physician. Direct referrals to the Intake Triage Nurse of Geriatric Psychiatry Services located at Providence Care - Mental Health Services, Kingston.

  • Intake Triage Nurse - Geriatric Psychiatry Services
  • Phone: (613) 548-5567 ext. 5932, Fax: (613) 548-5569

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Referral to Geriatric Psychiatry Outreach Teams

Anyone may initiate a referral to their local Outreach Team, but the agreement of the client's family physician is required for admission. For information and referrals, contact the appropriate local Outreach Team:

Hastings & Prince Edward Outreach Team

  • Location: 600 Dundas Street, Belleville  
  • Phone: (613) 771-0133  
  • Fax: (613) 771-0916

Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Outreach Team

  • Location: 111 Industrial Boulevard, Napanee 
  • Phone: (613) 354-3916 
  • Fax: (613) 354-6673

(Urban) Kingston Outreach Team

  • Location: 640 Cataraqui Woods Drive, Kingston  
  • Phone: (613) 384-9088  
  • Fax: (613) 384-6107

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Referral to Psychogeriatric Resource Consultants

Psychogeriatric Resource Consultants are co-located with the local Outreach Team. For information and referrals, contact the appropriate local Consultant:

Hastings and Prince Edward Consultant

  • Phone: (613) 384-9088

Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Consultant

  • Phone: (613) 771-0133

Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Consultant

  • Phone: (613) 498-1492 ext. 2409

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What happens after a referral to the Outpatient & Outreach Services?

A Geriatric Psychiatry Service Intake/Triage clinician will tell the source of the referral whether the client will receive care from the Outreach Service or from the Outpatient Service. If the client would be better served by a more appropriate care provider than the Outreach & Outpatient Services, the Intake/Triage clinician will help identify an alternative care resource to the source of the referral.

Initially, a Geriatric Psychiatry Service Case Manager will assess the client and their caregiver(s) in the client’s current residence. Usually, the Case Manager will be joined by a Geriatric Psychiatrist on a second visit to the client's residence. In some instances, a Geriatric Psychiatrist joins the Case Manager on the initial visit. Outreach & Outpatient Services provide client consultation, assessment, treatment plans and short-term follow up. Ongoing involvement in client care by Outreach & Outpatient Services depends upon:

  • the needs of the client,
  • the goals established for the client,
  • the level of risk, and
  • the involvement of other community agencies.

Based upon the results of the client's home assessment or outpatient clinic appointment, Outreach & Outpatient Services make client care recommendations to the client's family physician. Working in a shared care model, the Geriatric Psychiatry Service multidisciplinary team partners with the client's family physician and community services – who retain primary care of the client – until the client meets their treatment outcomes and risk management goals.

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