NL Health Services has been chosen by the Mental Health Commission of Canada as a demonstration site for a project designed to enhance mental health care across the country.

Dr. Timothy Hierlihy, the physician lead for the project at NL Health Services, says they were one of four successful applicants—the others being in Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia.

He expects that the undertaking will impact patient care in a number of different ways including ensuring that they are doing what they think they are doing. The project has a tailor-made approach for measuring the implementation of all the standards, which will then be applied province-wide.

The funding also means that NL Health Services clinicians will be provided with training on cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis as well as family intervention therapy.