Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare has asked the provincial government for nearly $8-million in additional funding.

The money would support two new initiatives to improve mental wellness in Windsor Essex.

President and CEO Janice Kaffer says they want to create an emergency department, specifically for people with mental health issues.

She notes only about 30 percent of people with mental health complaints are being seen in emergency rooms.

Kaffer adds they want to create a behavioural care outreach team with Essex Windsor EMS.

She says they could partner with the EMS Vulnerable Patient Navigators program to better move seniors with behavioural issues into long term care homes.

Both initiatives would be in addition to the 26 programs for mental health and addictions that already exist at Hotel Dieu Grace.

But Kaffer tells CTV Windsor these projects need to begin as soon as possible, because Windsor Essex can't wait another seven to ten years for a new hospital to be built.

“Frankly, other communities have it. London is developing something right now, downtown Toronto at CAMH, they have this, in Montreal at the Douglas Institute they have this” says Kaffer. “We think that if we want to be a leader in mental health and addictions we should be stepping up and doing this."