Ontario Psychological Association Partners with Strata Health to Improve Access and Navigation to Mental Health Services

(Toronto, ON) April 1, 2020 – Ontario Psychological Association (OPA), the professional organization representing psychology in Ontario, and Strata Health Solutions, the leading provider of patient navigation technology, today announced a partnership that reimagines access and navigation to mental health care services across the province of Ontario.

In response to Ontario’s growing mental health crisis, hundreds of licensed psychologists are ready to assist patients, medical personnel and people suffering mental health challenges during this global health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an even greater need for mental health services. To address the potential barriers in access to care, such as the logistics of finding psychologists, navigating websites and coverage, a strategic partnership was developed between Strata Health Solutions and the OPA.

This partnership will result in a digital clinical pathway to psychologists, opening up access for insurance providers, schools, first responders, hospitals, primary care practitioners and more. The pathway will expand clinical capacity and replace manual data entry with a fully integrated digital solution.

Powered by Strata Health’s intelligent resource-matching algorithm, Strata PathWays will draw from the OPA’s robust database of care providers, rapidly and automatically matching psychologists to patients, based on specialized care needs and other preferences that may influence care choices.

“Navigation to mental health services can be fragmented, making it difficult for people to get the care they need,” explained Peter Smith, President and CEO at Strata Health. “We are excited to be partnering with the OPA to design a solution that matches people to the psychological services they need most in their community or through virtual care.”

“We believe that an effective way to bridge a pathway of care for Ontarians to psychologists is through Strata PathWays,” said Dr. Diana Velikonja, President of the Ontario Psychological Association. “Strata Health’s matching resource technology paired with OPA’s network of clinicians will link Ontarians in need with our highly trained and experienced psychologists.”

The new clinical pathway that will link psychologists to Ontarians in need of mental health services is scheduled to launch in April 2020. For those interested in leveraging the pathway, please contact Mr. Richard Morrison, CEO of the Ontario Psychological Association at Richard@psych.on.ca.

About Ontario Psychological Association

The Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) is the professional organization representing psychology in Ontario. The OPA provides leadership to promote the mental health and wellbeing of Ontarians, and to inspire excellence in the profession of psychology through research, education, clinical excellence and advocacy. The OPA strives for a healthcare system in which psychological services are accessible to all Ontarians, where psychologists can practice to their full potential, and the value of the professional healthcare services psychologists provide is widely and properly recognized. www.psych.on.ca.

About Strata Health Solutions 

With almost 20 years of experience in the health technology sector, Strata Health is the leading provider of intelligent, digital tools for resource allocation, patient transitions, and patient flow innovation across the care continuum. Strata Health supports healthcare clients on three continents, helping over 12 million patients worldwide get the care they need faster. Strata’s software solutions are improving the healthcare experience for patients, clinicians, and health jurisdictions around the world. For more information, visit www.stratahealth.com.

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