Morning Coffee – By Aaron Hall

Weather forecast from Friday, May 4, 2018 to Sunday, My 6, 2018

Today – Showers ending early this morning then mainly cloudy. Showers early this afternoon. Risk of thunderstorms early this afternoon. Wind southwest 20 km/h gusting to 40 increasing to 40 gusting to 70 late this morning then becoming northwest 40 gusting to 60 this afternoon. High 24. Humidex 29. UV index 6 or high.

Tonight – A few clouds. Wind northwest 40 km/h gusting to 60 becoming west 20 gusting to 40 this evening then light near midnight. Low 10.

Saturday, May 5 – Sunny. Becoming a mix of sun and cloud near noon. Wind becoming south 20 km/h gusting to 40 near noon. High 23.

Saturday night – Cloudy periods. Low 9.

Sunday, May 6 – A mix of sun and cloud with 40 percent chance of showers. High 16.

Sunday night – Cloudy periods. Low plus 2.

McHappy Day totals in Chatham-Kent

Every year, McDonald’s Canada franchisees and crew across the country celebrate McHappy Day, an annual day of community giving in support of Ronald McDonald Houses and other local children’s charities.

On Wednesday May 2 for every Big Mac®, Happy Meal® or hot McCafé® beverage purchased, $1 was donated to RMHC® and children’s charities across Canada.

In Chatham-Kent alone, a total of $28,127 was raised for the event.

Here are a couple of photos posted on Facebook by Deadra Kilbride, from the Chatham-Kent McDonald’s restaurants:

Ribbon cutting planned to celebrate the relocation of CKHA’s outpatient mental health & addictions services

Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, May 7, to celebrate the official opening of CKHA’s out-patient mental health services at 240 Grand Avenue West, the current location of Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton Kent’s Chatham site.

CKHA’s Outpatient Mental Health & Addiction Services moved to the new location in mid-March with the aim to provide more streamlined and convenient access to mental health care in Chatham-Kent.

The celebration coincides with Mental Health Week, a Canada-wide initiative spearheaded by CMHA with the aim to raise awareness and end the stigma surrounding mental health and illness.

Ontario expanding mental health and addictions support for youth

Ontario is investing in six new youth wellness hubs to help more youth access the mental health and addictions services they need, close to home.

Michael Coteau, Minister of Children and Youth Services, made the announcement this week at the Mississauga-based Malton Neighbourhood Services, the network lead for the Malton Youth Wellness Hub.

“Youth wellness hubs will play an important role in early intervention, which we know is crucial,” Coteau said in a media release.

“The hubs will be a complement to the work already underway to help young people get the mental health and addictions supports they need faster, closer to home and under one roof.”

Youth wellness hubs are walk-in centres where young people ages 12 to 25 can get one-stop access to the mental health and addictions services they need.

Services include mental health assessments, treatment for addictions and substance use, therapy and counselling, peer and family support and referrals to health care providers, including psychiatrists.

Primary care, education, employment and housing services are also available, all under one youth-friendly roof.

The six new youth wellness hubs will be located in Eastern Champlain (Cornwall area), Haliburton, Kenora, Malton, North Simcoe and Niagara Region. The province is already supporting four youth wellness hubs, including three in Toronto and one in Chatham.

“Often times mental health issues first begin to surface during the teenage years,” stated Helena Jaczek, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

“Youth wellness hubs will help ensure thousands of young people in Ontario get the support they need, and will give them the tools they need to live healthy lives and achieve their dreams.”

Through these new integrated hubs, up to 12,000 young people who are experiencing mental health or addictions challenges will get the support they need. The hubs also provide seamless access to more specialized care and treatment, if needed.

This investment is part of a historic new $2.1 billion investment that will make it easier to access mental health and addiction services through a local school, family doctor’s office or community-based organization.

In addition to these six new youth wellness hubs, the 2018 Budget also commits to creating 15 additional youth wellness hubs across the province.

Ontario will also hire additional mental health workers in secondary schools, who will support mental health and addiction issues early on and provide a bridge to community services so students can get the services they need when they need it. Every secondary school in Ontario will have access to an additional mental health worker, with about 400 new positions being added within two years. Other supports will include new permanent funding for professional development for educators and staff and the inclusion of social-emotional learning skills throughout the curriculum.