As dusk settles over Erie Street, the lights of Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s Mental Health and Addictions Urgent Crisis Centre burn later into the evening than they did just weeks ago. Inside, social worker Miguel Rodriguez adjusts to his new schedule, staying until 8 p.m. to meet with people who couldn’t make it during traditional business hours.
“We kept seeing people coming in right before closing time, stressed about making it here before 4:30,” Rodriguez tells me as we sit in the centre’s calming intake area. “Some were choosing between missing work or getting help. Nobody should have to make that choice.”
This month, the Crisis Centre expanded its hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday – a change that healthcare providers say addresses a crucial gap in community care. For Windsor residents experiencing mental health crises or substance use emergencies, these additional hours represent more than convenience; they’re a lifeline.
The expansion comes amid increasing demand across Windsor-Essex County, where emergency departments have reported a steady rise in mental health-related visits since 2019. According to data from Erie Shores HealthCare, mental health visits increased 27% in the past three years, with many patients reporting they sought emergency care because community services weren’t accessible when they needed them.
“People don’t schedule their crises between nine and five,” explains Dr. Tamara Johnson, psychiatrist and medical director at Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. “Mental health emergencies often escalate in the evening when people are home from work, when the day’s stresses compound, or when someone feels most alone.”
The Crisis Centre offers immediate support without an appointment for individuals 16 and older experiencing emotional distress, thoughts of self-harm, overwhelming anxiety, or substance use concerns. Unlike busy emergency departments, the centre provides a quieter environment specifically designed for mental health assessments.
Walking through the renovated space, I notice the deliberate design choices – soft lighting, private consultation rooms with comfortable seating, and artwork from local artists covering walls that once felt institutional. The space itself communicates dignity.
For Windsorites like Mark Levasseur, 42, these extended hours make all the difference. A construction foreman who struggled with anxiety and depression after a workplace accident, Levasseur couldn’t access services during his recovery.
“By the time I got my kids to school and dealt with physiotherapy appointments, the mental health places were closing,” he shares, having given permission to share his experience. “I ended up in the emergency room twice because I had nowhere else to go when things got really dark.”
The Canadian Mental Health Association of Windsor-Essex County has welcomed the expanded hours, noting they complement their own services and help create a more comprehensive mental health safety net for the region.
“When people reach out for help, timing is everything,” says Kim Willis, Director of Communications at CMHA Windsor-Essex. “Even a wait of 12 hours can feel insurmountable when you’re in crisis. Having options during evening hours can quite literally save lives.”
The change addresses a reality many healthcare workers have observed: traditional hours create barriers for numerous groups – shift workers, caregivers, students, and those without transportation flexibility.
Funding for the expansion comes through the provincial government’s mental health and addictions strategy, which allocated $3.8 billion over ten years to improve access to services. Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare received approximately $525,000 to support staffing and operational costs for the extended hours.
While encouraging, the expansion still leaves gaps. The centre remains closed on weekends and overnight – times when isolation and crisis can intensify. Hospital officials acknowledge this limitation but describe the current expansion as a stepping stone toward more comprehensive coverage.
“We’re monitoring utilization patterns closely,” explains Janice Kaffer, President and CEO of Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. “Our goal is to eventually offer 24/7 support, but this requires additional resources and careful implementation. We’re taking a measured approach to ensure sustainability.”
The centre’s team includes registered nurses, social workers, addiction counselors, and peer support specialists – individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges who provide unique understanding and hope. This multidisciplinary approach allows for comprehensive assessment and warm handoffs to appropriate ongoing care.
Dr. Johnson emphasizes that the Crisis Centre isn’t designed to replace emergency services for those in immediate danger. “If someone is actively suicidal with a plan, experiencing psychosis, or in withdrawal that requires medical monitoring, the emergency department remains the appropriate destination,” she clarifies.
Instead, the centre serves as a crucial middle ground – more accessible than scheduled outpatient care but more specialized than emergency departments. Staff can connect visitors with longer-term resources, provide brief counseling interventions, or help manage medication needs.
For Windsor’s diverse population, the centre has also strengthened its cultural competencies. Staff receive training in trauma-informed approaches and cultural safety. Interpretation services are available, and partnerships with community organizations help bridge gaps for newcomers navigating an unfamiliar health system.
As evening settles and the new shift continues, the waiting area holds a cross-section of Windsor – a university student clutching a referral from campus health services, an elderly man accompanied by his adult daughter, a young woman nervously checking her phone. Each represents a different story, but each has found their way here during hours that would have been impossible just weeks ago.
The Mental Health and Addictions Urgent Crisis Centre is located at 1030 Ouellette Avenue. No referral is required, and health cards are recommended but not mandatory for service.
“We want people to know they don’t have to wait until they’re at their breaking point,” Rodriguez says as our conversation concludes. “Sometimes just walking through that door is the hardest part. We’re trying to make that step a little easier.”
