Press Release
Renfrew Victoria Hospital
At a June 1 virtual announcement, the Ontario government confirmed that Renfrew County is among four new regions that will receive funding to develop Youth Wellness Hubs. There are currently ten hubs in that province that provide mental health, addictions and other supportive services for youth between the ages of 12-25.
A proposal for a Youth Wellness Hub in Renfrew County, drafted by a number of local partners including Addictions Treatment Services, Renfrew Victoria Hospital, Phoenix Centre for Children and Families, and Columbus House, was submitted in 2017. The proposal noted that many youth living in rural Renfrew County do not have the range of services available and there is no public transportation system for them to access the wide range but limited number of programs and services including: health, mental health, addictions, special education, recreation and meeting spots, shopping, employment, and entertainment.
Youth Wellness Hubs provide youth and their families with access to high-quality mental health and substance use services through easily identifiable, low-barrier, youth-friendly locations. They are also integrated with primary care, education, employment, housing and other support services.
“Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (YWHO) is very pleased to have Renfrew County come on board to deliver this innovative model of integrated youth services, co-created with youth. Prior to the pandemic youth mental health and addiction services were in need of transformation to improve timely access to youth-friendly services. The context of the pandemic has made transformation in this space even more pressing. The commitment of Renfrew County’s network led by Addictions Treatment Services (ATS) sponsored by Renfrew Victoria Hospital to bring together addictions, mental health, health and other community and social services paves the way for YWHO success and we look forward to working together to bring the YWHO model life in Renfrew County,” stated Dr. Joanna Henderson, Executive Director, YWHO.
“This is wonderful news,” said Julia Boudreau, RVH CEO, who was involved in developing the proposal. “The Youth Hub will meet a wide variety of needs and address the gaps currently faced by youth living in remote rural areas of Renfrew County and help to ensure access to the right services for youth and their families, at the right time and in the right place.”
The hub will build upon a long history of collaboration and integration in Renfrew County and include youth leadership and involvement to create a sustainable hub model.
Greg Lubimiv, Executive Director of The Phoenix Centre for Children and Families, and Chair of the Renfrew County Mental Health and Addiction Planning, noted that Renfrew County agencies have committed a great deal of time and resources to support youth in Renfrew County.
“Being selected to add a Youth Hub for our area and adding to opportunities for our youth to connect, improve their well-being, and contribute to a more vibrant mental health and addiction system is a welcome addition,” said Lubimiv.
Kim MacLeod, Service Director, ATS, said that Addictions Treatment Services sponsored by Renfrew Victoria Hospital is incredibly grateful to the Ontario Ministry of Health and the Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario team led by Dr. Joanna Henderson for this opportunity to lead the establishment of a Youth Wellness Hub for the Youth of Renfrew County.
“The strength and dedication of all the partners in the Renfrew County Network will ensure that all the staffing resources dedicated to our Renfrew County Hub are maximized and are utilized to best meet the needs of all youth regardless of where they reside in our vast geography. I am so proud to be a part of such an important project with my valued partners for the deserving youth in Renfrew County,” stated MacLeod.
