BACK TO HOSPITAL LISTING
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$1,791,064
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
Children who suffer regular or even constant pain due to chronic illness can experience devastating mental health effects. Missing out on school and social milestones, kids can develop severe depression or begin to self-harm or self-medicate, with sometimes dangerous results. Generous donations from Family of Support are enabling the integrated pain program PainCare 360 at BC Children’s Hospital, helping transform pain care for kids.
PainCare 360 at BC Children’s Hospital
PainCare 360 provides effective care for all aspects of pediatric pain. It shares knowledge on pain care to teams throughout the hospital and care providers across the province, develops educational resources, and launches key programs to develop pediatric pain care that will help foster healthier, happier children, youth, and families.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
To name just a few examples, Family of Support funding has enabled program leaders to:
- Develop online courses for healthcare professionals
- Launch the Comfort Ability Program at BC Children’s (with Boston Children’s Hospital), offering youth opportunities to learn about chronic pain and management strategies
- Host a Pediatric Pain Symposium attended by more than 160 patients, families, community-based care providers, and hospital staff.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$1,100,103
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
With the opening of The Summit: Marian & Jim Sinneave Centre for Youth Resilience in 2023, a new chapter in mental health care for children and teens began along with a promising era for pediatric mental health research. Grounded in a partnership between the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and Alberta Health Services, The Summit is one of Canada’s most research-intensive youth mental health facilities.
Mental Health Research 4 Kids
This innovative program is connected to The Summit and led by researchers at the University of Calgary and the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute. Researchers have created a registry that connects interested youth and families accessing mental health services with current mental health studies, linking discovery and care.
Patient and Family Centered Care at The Summit
The Summit provides a nurturing environment and delivers programs that promote self-expression and self-confidence among youth receiving mental health services. Today, informed by leading clinical practices and consultations with youth and family advisors, The Summit’s certified Child Life specialists are preparing to offer arts and horticultural therapy programs.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
The Family of Support partnership has helped to:
- Integrate research and care
- Provide a nurturing environment for children and youth receiving care
- Enable the adoption of effective programs used by world-leading organizations.
- Support early-intervention programs that help to prevent mental health crises
- Build capacity for care by training and educating pediatricians, front line healthcare workers, mental health leaders, and community providers.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$1,202,091
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
Difficulties accessing early mental health interventions mean that many young patients in crisis turn to Emergency Departments (EDs). As the only specialized pediatric ED in northern Alberta, the Stollery Emergency responds to as many as 2,300 mental health-related patient visits each year. In addition to increasing capacity to respond to immediate mental health needs in the ED, the Stollery has been making changes to meet non-emergency needs in a more timely way.
Interdisciplinary team for timely, appropriate care
A multidisciplinary mental health team is now integrated into the Stollery ED, including psychologists, therapists, and social workers. Together, they provide immediate care as necessary and redirect patients toward non-emergency services as appropriate.
Expanded training to increase mental health knowledge
The addition of two clinical nurse educators (CNEs) has provided enhanced mental health education to Stollery Emergency staff, patients, and families. The CNEs have provided mental health orientations and ongoing training to staff in the ED and created resources for families on topics such as anxiety and depression management skills.
Connecting families to community resources
Patients who present to the Stollery Emergency and are determined, through assessment at triage, to not require ED services, can choose to be diverted to an appointment with a mental health clinician at the Stollery walk-in clinic, typically the same day or within 48 hours.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
Family of Support funds have helped to:
- Support the development and operation of a mental health walk-in clinic
- Increase capacity at the Stollery Outpatient & Urgent Psychiatry Clinic
- Enhance care and prevent mental health-related escalations with enhanced training provided by the clinical nurse educators.
- Reduce wait times for patients and families through increased capacity and improved coordination.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$636,537
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
The COVID-19 pandemic imposed serious mental health burdens on children and youth, exacerbated by family conflict, parenting stress, and intergenerational mental health problems. Health system burdens have also negatively implicated chronic disease management for children and youth, exacerbating the mental health effects that often accompany other illnesses. In response, the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba developed the PRIME research theme dedicated to childhood mental health and wellness.
PRIME: Promoting Innovation in Mental Health through eHealth Excellence
Launched in 2022, PRIME is enabling researchers to develop and study eHealth models focused on delivering more timely access to care and support for a range of groups, such as neurodiverse youth and young people experiencing intersections of mental illness and other issues such as disability, chronic illness or systemic racism.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
PRIME is funded entirely by Family of Support, and has been made possible in large part by the generosity of the The Sobey Foundation and Empire Company Limited. In particular funding has:
- Allowed PRIME to better understand existing barriers to accessing mental health services
- Shed light on the community’s experience with eHealth therapeutics for child, youth, and family mental health.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$412,196
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation is supporting a range of investments to help clinical teams respond to growing demand for mental health care among children and youth in Saskatchewan. Foundation initiatives funded by Family of Support are expanding access to primary mental health care – notably through an innovative fleet of mobile health clinics – while also enhancing the in-hospital care environment for patients experiencing mental health crisis in the Emergency Room.
The STC Mobile Health Bus
Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation is working with the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC), Medavie Health Services West and the Government of Saskatchewan to deploy a small fleet of mobile clinics that bring medical care, including mental health care, to the seven First Nations communities that make up the STC.
Mental Health Intensive Care Room
Many youth experiencing acute mental health challenges turn to the Emergency Department (ED) at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital for crisis care. Thanks in part to Family of Support, the hospital now has two spaces in its ED for patients in mental health crisis, including the Mental Health Intensive Care Room.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
Family of Support funds have helped to:
- Expand the STC Mobile Health Bus fleet; two new vans were added in the spring of 2023.
- Enable capital upgrades to make the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital ED safer and more comfortable for patients experiencing mental health crisis. The upgrades also support the safety of ED staff and other patients.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$2,281,805
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
Over the past several years, CHEO’s Emergency Department (ED) has seen more children and youth presenting with suicidal ideation and attempts. In response, CHEO has developed a range of programs and interventions to enhance care for children at risk of or in the early stages of mental health challenges. In addition to aiding two programs, Family of Support funds have helped to increase mental health resources in the ED.
The Head to Toe (H2T)
H2T is a suicide screening program for all admitted, inpatient youth 12 and older. If a patient answers “yes” to any of the questions in the validated screening tool, nurses facilitate a mental health assessment. The screening aims to ensure that care teams never miss an opportunity to provide suicide-prevention support.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
The DBT program was developed to address the needs of adolescents who have difficulty regulating their emotions, resulting in chronic or repeated suicidal ideation, self-injury, family conflict and school problems. The CHEO DBT team provides training in the hospital and in the community.
Child and Youth Counsellor (CYC) in the ED
Family of Support has helped to fund the presence of a dedicated mental health-focused CYC in the ED, 24/7. This around-the-clock presence ensures specialized care for patients who present at the ED in mental health crisis and supports allied care professionals.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
Family of Support funds have helped CHEO to:
- Gain the flexibility to adopt a new evidence-based intervention (H2T)
- Extend the benefits of dialectical behavioural therapy beyond the hospital and into the community
- Expand the hours during which mental health support is available in the ED.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$648,684
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
Adolescents with ongoing health challenges can face difficulties as they transition into the adult healthcare system. Various factors can make communication and collaboration difficult at the intersection of pediatric and adult services, including separate funding and governance structures. As part of its wider efforts to support adolescents navigate toward adult care, Children’s Hospital is advancing a transition initiative focused specifically on patients in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Care Program.
Transition Care Program
Children’s Hospital is building a new transition care program for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Care Program. Family of Support funds are helping to increase capacity and enable efficient, effective transition care. One key priority is alleviating the stress patients can experience from missing school while admitted to hospital.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
Funds provided by Family of Support have helped to:
- Increase capacity for transition care
- Support three new hires focused on mental health.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$485,652
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
McMaster Children’s Hospital is implementing a pilot program that uses virtual reality (VR) to deliver cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Research demonstrates that exposure-based interventions are effective in helping with recovery from mental health difficulties. Research also indicates that integrating virtual reality into treatment is an effective way to provide exposure therapy. Combining these insights, McMaster Children’s Hospital is exploring the use of VR in the treatment of children and youth.
Using Virtual Reality to Deliver CBT
Exposure treatment can be difficult to implement. For example, for patients who fear weather events we often have to rely on videos, which are less effective than real-life exposures. In this pilot, virtual reality will expose patients to difficult experiences in immersive but controlled ways, and help them practice related strategies.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
Family of Support funds have helped to:
- Enable the purchase of VR-related technology, including software, headsets and an app.
- Support the collection of data to shape treatment, enabling care teams to note how long a user engaged in the exposure, for example, and to gather physiological data to evaluate user responses.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$1,947,745
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
More than 28% of children and youth with physical illnesses face mental health challenges. Without early assessment, intervention, and education, their mental health needs may not be met. To identify potential challenges early, SickKids has a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment program for patients whose conditions – from brain tumours to congenital heart disease – put them at elevated risk of brain and mental health challenges.
Neuropsychological assessments
In these in-depth assessments, a trained provider uses diverse approaches – from conversations with parents to on-site testing – to understand a young person’s current functioning in areas such as reading comprehension, memory, and motor skills. Next, clinicians recommend appropriate supports such as occupational therapy or speech therapy to aid continued development.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
Family of Support funds have helped to:
- Enable SickKids to perform around 80 such assessments each year;
- Accelerate access to these assessments – a key priority since they can help young people receive appropriate support during key developmental windows;
- Empower the SickKids clinic team to keep pace with ever-increasing demand for these highly personalized, resource-intensive assessments.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$529,073
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
The Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation is investing in improved treatment for two critical mental health issues: obesity and eating disorders. Both conditions can lead to short-term and long-term health challenges for young people, including cardiac issues and other serious issues; both are on the rise; and both have physical and psychological implications that can benefit from sustained support from healthcare teams that include mental health providers.
Family-based therapy (FBT)
In the FBT program, trained care providers deliver evidence-based treatment to adolescents, primarily for anorexia and bulimia. Importantly, families are engaged in the treatment process. Where possible, care providers seek to intervene before patients’ conditions have become severe enough to warrant inpatient care, reducing hospitalizations.
Centre of Excellence for Adolescents with Severe Obesity (CEASO)
Severe obesity in teenagers is increasingly prevalent. This condition can lead to a range of serious health complications, diminishing quality and length of life. A growing quantity of evidence shows the importance of intervention when obesity is severe, and CEASO meets an urgent need for multidisciplinary support in this area.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
Family of Support funds have helped to:
CEASO:
- Improve patients’ quality of life, both on a mental and physical level
- Train additional physicians and mental health trainees in advanced prevention and early intervention approaches
- Increase patients’ learning of coping strategies and skills to deal with stress.
FBT:
- Decrease the number of hospitalizations and duration of hospital stays
- Increase the number of patient assessments.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$529,669
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
As new mental health professionals begin to engage with patients and families on their own, it’s beneficial for their supervisors to be able to observe and guide their work. Family of Support funds have helped to fund the creation and operation of 10 specially equipped therapy and observation rooms that support this objective while protecting the comfort and privacy of patients and families.
Technology-supported training and observation rooms
CHU Sainte-Justine has created seven new rooms for therapy and three for observation, all with audiovisual equipment and other technology that lets supervisors discreetly evaluate and guide the training of the next generation of mental health leaders. The rooms let early-career professionals enhance their practice, ultimately benefiting patients.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
Family of Support funds have helped CHU Sainte-Justine to:
- Support care and training simultaneously (activity that has widespread impact, as CHU Sainte-Justine’s training activity ultimately benefits about 80% of pediatricians in Quebec)]
- Make capital improvements that will benefit patients for many years
- Advance the entire hospital’s conversations and policies on telehealth norms of practice.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$1,023,206
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
To address a widespread need for increased access to addiction and mental health support across the Atlantic region, IWK Health has developed The Learning Link, a hub of expertise for Maritime mental health clinicians and community partners. The Learning Link is helping mental health clinicians share knowledge and train community partners across the region and beyond.
The Learning Link
Under the umbrella of the Learning Link (a broader training and knowledge-mobilization program), the IWK has most recently worked to build mental health expertise across more of the hospital’s nursing staff to ensure that, as staffing configurations change, young people always have access to the right mental health support.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
In 2023, Family of Support funds:
- Enabled collaboration and innovation among Maritime mental health clinicians, community partners, and patients;
- Helped turn evidence into action for the mental health and well-being of children, youth and their families;
- Researchers, policymakers, and care teams to reach youth with mental health concerns, where and when they need it most.
TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED TO DATE
$314,006
XX,XXX
Assessments
XX,XXX
People trained
XX,XXX
Patients served
XX,XXX
Treatment spaces
Program overview
When Family of Support launched, funds raised in Newfoundland and Labrador supported The North Star Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (see below). In early 2023, due to changes beyond the Janeway’s control, The North Star suspended operations. As preparations for reopening the Centre continue, Family of Support funds are being directed to two other important initiatives serving children and youth in the province (see programs 2 and 3 below).
The North Star Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (CAYAC)
The Janeway partnered with other agencies to establish The North Star Child and Youth Advocacy Centre in Newfoundland and Labrador, to support young people who have experienced or witnessed abuse. The Centre has suspended operations pending changes to its service delivery model; we hope to reopen it as soon as possible.
The Tuckamore Centre
A residential treatment facility for youth aged 12 – 18 from across Newfoundland and Labrador with complex mental health needs. Established in 2016, it offers a safe, home-like environment, along with an on-site school, a multipurpose room, a physical fitness area, and accommodations for family overnight visits.
Hospital-Based Mental Health & Addictions Programming
Outpatient programs in particular benefit from donor support, which helps them acquire resources such as sensory items and clinically vetted, youth-friendly literature. These tools and resources are vital for programs’ smooth functioning, and contribute to positive outcomes for patients and families.
How Family of Support Funding Has Helped
By offering flexible funding, Family of Support has helped to ensure that:
- The Janeway’s Mental Health & Addictions program can continue to meet the needs of children and youth in a variety of settings – in the hospital and beyond.
- More young people have access to early interventions that can profoundly affect how their mental health evolves, preventing emerging concerns from reaching the point of crisis.
