CAAP Montérégie
A growing helping hand
Published on October 23, 2024 by Frédéric Khalkhal. Le Journal de Chambly newspaper, page 6.
The Centre d’assistance et d’accompagnement aux plaintes Montérégie (CAAP) has recently set up offices to better welcome and inform the public about services that are still little known to the general public. In the event of a dispute between a healthcare institution or an PSR, the CAAP can be the first port of call.
CAAP Montérégie has been in existence for 30 years in the Montérégie region, and according to its Executive Director, Myriam Noiseux, the organization is not well enough known.
Present in every region of Quebec, the organization’s mission is to help all users who have a grievance against any healthcare establishment, be it a hospital, health center or youth center, to get answers.
“Since 2019, we’ve had a second mandate. We accompany all those who have a lease in a retirement home (PSR),” Ms. Noiseux tells us.
For the year 2023-2024, CAAP Montérégie accompanied 1229 people to guide them through their bad experiences with the health plan in the region. The organization handled 566 files concerning problems encountered by PSR residents. “We accompany these people in their rights vis-à-vis the healthcare system, for example, a complaint against a doctor who doesn’t follow up, an ambulance that takes too long, implying the death of the patient, against the DPJ, who doesn’t show up for the appointments given… There are all kinds of complaints,” she explains.
“The work requires a lot of listening, taking the time to be able to synthesize difficult situations.”
OPEN HOUSE DAY
With an overburdened healthcare system and an aging population, the Montérégie region, like all of Quebec, is facing major challenges. You’d think CAAP Montérégie would be more in demand. “We’re never well known. People often think of us when things aren’t going well. We’re based in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, which is a place where we’re better known, but we also have points of service in Longueuil, Saint-Hyacinthe, Beloeil and Vaudreuil-Dorion.” So, to promote CAAP Montérégie’s services, the organization decided to open the doors of its center in Saint-Jean. On October 29, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at 383, boulevard du Séminaire Nord, office 212, in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, it will be possible to talk to the counsellors and learn more about the services offers.
MORE NEEDS
With requests for information and support constantly on the increase, the service has expanded. “In two or three years, we’ve doubled the team. Since 2019, since we’ve been helping tenants with PSRs, we’ve doubled the number of requests. PSR files take a long time to put together.” Today, in total, the team has nine employees across the Montérégie territory. “All our employees have a background in social work. The work requires a lot of listening, taking the time to synthesize difficult situations. In fact, we assume that everything can be said. There’s just a way of saying it. In fact, we act like a big pencil to accompany citizens in their complaints. We’re not here to bang on the heads of the establishments, because we don’t have their version of events.”
CAAP Montérégie’s mission requires ever greater commitment. “Obviously, we’d like to receive a little more funding, like all organizations. We always want to be able to respond to more requests, not more problems,” concludes Ms. Noiseux.
CAAP’s mission is to support people who are dissatisfied with the services or lease they have received in a private seniors’ residence (PSR), or with a health or social service they have received or should have received.
CAAP services are confidential and free of charge. For more information: 450 347-0670
