Haliburton County agencies that work with people with mental health challenges have welcomed the Sept. 18 opening of a new walk-in clinic.
The Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) last week announced the mental health walk-in clinic at 6 McPherson St.
Beginning Thursday, Sept. 18, the clinic will operate one day a week on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with CMHA HKPR saying it will offer timely access to mental health support for individuals aged 16 and older.
Calli Lorente, manager of integrated crisis services at CMHA HKPR, said the clinic “offers immediate access to a mental health professional who can listen, help explore needs, and guide toward effective next steps.” She added it is designed for people not currently connected to CMHA services, but ready to explore options for their mental health.
The expansion builds on the CMHA HKPR’s existing walk-in clinics in Lindsay and Peterborough, which have served more than 200 people since February 2025.
Lorente said the model offers face-to-face support in real time “which can make all the difference when taking that first step toward mental wellness.
“We’re excited to bring this service to Minden,” she said. “This clinic offers a low-barrier entry point for people seeking support and reflects our commitment to meeting the mental health needs of the community.”
Clinic to augment mobile support services
The CMHA said the walk-in clinic is not intended for individuals in crisis. They encourage anyone experiencing mental health crisis to reach out for immediate support by calling or texting the 9-8-8 National Suicide Crisis Helpline.
Lorente said, “this new clinic in Minden is another meaningful step toward ensuring residents of Haliburton County have accessible, timely, and compassionate mental health care when they need it most.”
Marg Cox, executive director of Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth and Parents, welcomed the clinic’s arrival.
“I am thrilled to see the walk-in clinic open in Minden on Thursday. This means people have access to quick and timely help. Timely help and support are shown to make a real difference and help improve the outcomes.
“We have been utilizing this model internally at our agency and have received both great feedback from clients and significantly reduced our waitlists. Congratulations to CMHA – and it is a great service to augment The Road Ahead Mobile Clinic.”
The Road Ahead is CMHA HKPR’s new mobile mental health and addictions clinic. It brings a full range of mental health and addictions services to individuals living in rural and remote areas and who face barriers to accessing existing services and supports.
The clinic operates out of two vehicles that travel throughout the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, Peterborough and Northumberland Counties, providing: counselling and therapy; support with addictions and substance use; health and mental health education; medication support and access to other supports, including psychiatry
The OPP’s Joel Imbeau, who works on the mobile crisis response team (MCRT) in the County, also welcomed the walk-in clinic.
He said it, “will allow clients to proactively initiate services for their mental health. It will allow access to services without barriers in hopes of preventing crisis situations. The clinic will provide clients with care at their pace and assist with engaging appropriate referrals.
“This will hopefully help to proactively decrease the amount of crisis situations needing MCRT engagement. It will also assist clients who are unsure of how to get connected, or which services to utilize to be assisted in a timely manner.”
For more information about the mental health walk-in clinic or other CMHA HKPR services, visit www.cmhahkpr.ca. To access The Road Ahead Mobile clinic, phone 705-991-3551, or toll free 1-888357-1294 or email tra@cmhahkpr.ca
