October 24, 2025 – Oxford HART Hub Update: Progress Towards Building a Network of Care for Oxford County

Work continues on the Oxford HART Hub — a coordinated network of care designed to support individuals in Oxford County facing homelessness, addiction, and mental health challenges.

Over the past several months, community partners have been working together through a co-design process to shape how the HART Hub’s programs and services will be delivered. This important collaboration is helping ensure that Oxford’s HART Hub reflects local needs, values, and expertise — a made-in-Oxford solution built on compassion, partnership and hope.

As plans advance, several job opportunities will emerge to support the Oxford HART Hub. Click here to view HART Hub-related job postings. These positions are part of the growing effort to improve access, dignity, and outcomes for our community.

More information will be shared soon about available services, timing, and how community members will be able to begin to access care.

The goal remains to connect people to the right help, at the right time, close to home – and to build a healthier, safer Oxford County for everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

In October 2024, the Oxford Ontario Health (OHT) Team, Woodstock Hospital, and several community partners submitted a joint HART Hub application to the Ministry of Health. On January 27, 2025, the Ministry announced our local HART Hub application had been approved.

But what does this really mean for our community? We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions, but please remember this information may change and evolve as our meaningful work on the Oxford HART Hub progresses.

1. What is an Oxford HART Hub?

The Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub is a new initiative designed to address mental health, addiction, and homelessness in Oxford County. It is a collaborative effort between the Oxford Ontario Health Team, Woodstock Hospital, and multiple community partners.

The term “HART Hub” is somewhat misleading as it is not a single facility or organization. It is a coordinated network of community partners that includes but is not limited to outreach services, residential treatment, transitional housing, and access to mental health and addiction support programs.

What makes this level of community collaboration so exciting is that it will enable the “No Wrong Door” approach to care. This means that regardless of how or where a client accesses the system, they will be embraced with care, respect, and commitment to their well-being.

2. What does this mean for our community?

This is fantastic news for Woodstock and Oxford County. For the first time, the region will have dedicated treatment and recovery beds. The collaborative nature of this initiative will help achieve seamless, wraparound care for individuals who need it most. It will also help avoid duplication of services and optimize community resources.

3. Who is involved in the HART Hub?

• Oxford Ontario Health Team (OHT)
• Woodstock Hospital
• CMHA Thames Valley Addiction & Mental Health Services
• Indwell
• Southwestern Public Health
• Oxford County Community Health Centre
• Oxford County Human Services Department
• Thames Valley Family Health Team
• Oxford County Paramedic Services
• Wellkin Child & Youth Mental Wellness
• Operation Sharing
• United Way Oxford
• Woodstock Police Service
• Oxford County OPP
• Ingersoll Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic
• Alexandra Hospital Ingersoll
• Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital
• Salvation Army – Tillsonburg

4. What services will the HART Hub offer?

The HART Hub client journey is designed as a holistic, client-centred process that guides individuals from initial engagement through to long-term stability and recovery. It follows a structured pathway, ensuring that clients receive the support they need at every stage.

Please keep in mind, we are still developing programs and services with our community partners, but these are some of the core elements:

• System Navigation – Warmly welcoming each client, working together to co-identify their needs, and connecting them to the right support services. A mobile outreach component ensures we reach clients where they are, providing information and access to available resources throughout the collaborative network.
• Education – Providing clients with practical tools and strategies to better understand and manage their mental health. Examples include guidance on navigating negative self-talk, coping with cravings and triggers, and building resilience in their daily lives.
• Individual Programming – Personalized support tailored to each client’s needs, including counselling, brief therapy, and addiction recovery services to help individuals navigate their mental health and wellness journey.
• Group Programming – Providing a supportive environment where individuals can connect, share experiences, and work toward their personal goals in a group setting.
• Core Addiction Programming – When clients first identify they need  support, it may be in the form of medically supported withdrawal management beds. They will require acute services before they reach the stability stage to engage in programming.

5. Where will the HART Hub be located? Is it at 16 Graham Street in Woodstock?

The name HART Hub is somewhat misleading, as the Hub isn’t just one organization or facility. It’s a network of community partners (listed above) to provide wraparound care, with the goal of helping clients achieve long term wellness.

Woodstock Hospital recently announced its purchase of a building at 16 Graham Street in Woodstock.

In our HART Hub application, we refer to this location as a Wellness Centre. It is one critical component of the Oxford HART Hub model of care.

The Wellness Centre will include approximately 50 dedicated mental health and addiction treatment beds. The Wellness Centre will also enable some of the mental health and addictions service providers to co-locate under one roof, further strengthening an integrated care model.

16 Graham Street was chosen because:

• It is centrally located and accessible to those in need, close to local transportation
• It is in close proximity to existing health, social, and human services, creating a low-barrier continuum of care
• The existing infrastructure allows for effective repurposing, minimizing delays in launching much-needed services

6. How is the HART Hub different from a Supervised Drug Consumption Site?

HART Hubs are not Supervised Drug Consumption Sites. Supervised Drug Consumption Sites provide supervised spaces for individuals to use substances safely. The Hub’s primary purpose is to support individuals through system navigation, mental health and addictions programming, recovery, relapse prevention, and reintegration into the community with supportive housing and primary care services. The HART Hub approach to care will address immediate needs and set individuals up for long-term support and stability.

7. Why isn’t the Wellness Centre component of the HART HUB subject to the 200-metre rule regarding schools?

HART Hubs are an integrated model of care, they are not the same as Supervised Drug Consumption Sites. HART Hubs focus on treatment and recovery services and therefore, the Ministry of Health has not required any restriction on the distance from schools.

The Wellness Centre at 16 Graham Street will not offer safe consumption or other services which require distancing measures.

8. Can People Leave the Wellness Centre?

People receiving residential treatment services will not be able to come and go. Since it’s a voluntary program, people choose to come, but once they start treatment, they need to stay on-site for the duration to ensure a supported recovery.

If residential clients must leave for an appointment or other significant event, they will be supported by staff when offsite. Leaving the centre will be part of a co-created treatment plan which will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

9. How will you ensure the safety of clients, staff, and the community at 16 Graham Street?

The Wellness Centre at 16 Graham Street will be staffed 24/7 by dedicated healthcare professionals. Staffing at this site includes mental health nurses, social workers, peer support workers, therapists, and psychiatrists. There will also be 24/7 security monitoring, to maintain a safe environment for clients, staff, and our community.

The HART Hub model of care is designed to improve community safety, not compromise it. By providing individuals with immediate support and an integrated pathway to recovery, we are reducing the likelihood of disruptive behaviours in public spaces. When individuals receive proper care and support, overall community safety improves.

10. Will there be more people hanging around 16 Graham Street? How will that be handled?

We don’t expect increased loitering. The Wellness Centre is a place where individuals come for scheduled appointments or receive treatment. If someone is hanging out without a reason to be there, they will be asked to leave. Safety is our top priority and security will be on site.

11. When will the HART Hub open?

The announcement of our HART Hub’s approval is a significant milestone, but we are still in the early stages of implementation. We will provide updates as the project progresses.

10. How can the community stay informed?

The HART Hub community partners will work on engagement strategies to keep our community informed and ensure our HART Hub’s success. Please follow along on Woodstock Hospital and Oxford OHT’s communication channels for details, including this webpage!

If you have specific questions or concerns about this project, please email info@woodstockhospital.ca, and we will respond as soon as possible.