One Kids Place opens in North Bay

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North Bay celebrated the grand opening of One Kids Place September 21st.

CEO Judy Sharpe said it met every expectation envisioned by parents who rallied government and community support over many years to bring a children's treatment centre to the area.

"We have a very proud community and certainly the emotion that was felt the day of the grand opening was very moving," Sharpe said.

Five hundred people attended the opening, including Premier Dalton McGuinty, Nipissing MPP Monique Smith, and former Minister of Children and Youth Services Deb Matthews, now Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Singer/songwriter Justin Hines, who copes with a rare genetic joint condition called Larsen Syndrome, not only performed for the group, but also spoke of his personal experience and use of services from children's treatment centres as he grew up. It added a powerful dimension to the celebratory atmosphere.

Tears of joys and endless smiles lit up the faces of community members whose fundraising efforts raised $6.5 million toward the cost of the $15 million centre. The consolidation of services under one roof will support children and youth up to 19 years of age with physical, developmental and communicative disabilities. Services are funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

"Historically, parents would have to go to multiple doors to access those services," Sharpe said. "Now, there's one phone number, one door and access to quite a comprehensive range of services."

The North Bay centre employs approximately 80 people and also supports sites in Huntsville and Parry Sound. Last year, more than 1,600 children and youth were served.

Services

A wide range of professional health supports are provided by occupational therapists, an art therapist, physiotherapists, speech language pathologist, social workers, therapeutic recreationists, communicative disorder assistants, therapy assistants, case managers, intake co-ordinators, pediatricians, medical residents, program assistants and management, who have come together in one location.

The Nipissing Association for Disabled Youth office, Best Start/Early Learning Drop-In programs, the Near North Community Care Access Centre School Health Support program and the Pediatric Case Management program are also housed at One Kids Place. Partnerships with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and the Ontario Telemedicine Network will help serve a large rural constituency.

"We believe that technology is the way we're going to shrink our geography and allow us to extend services across a vast rural geography," Sharpe said. "We have an electronic health record system and all of our therapists have laptops with access to health records, so we can have staff working in schools, day-care centres, at the main centre - wherever it makes sense for kids to be served."

Referrals from a family physician are not essential to receive treatment, but an inquiry would be screened, possibly followed by an intake and a more comprehensive review. However, Sharpe said staff work closely with physicians in an interagency, interdisciplinary team fashion.

Architecture

The 41,000-square foot facility was designed to be welcoming for children from one year old to 19 years old. At the same time, it had to instill confidence in the parents who bring their children. 

"I am confident we have been able to do that," Sharpe said, explaining that architect Paul Mitchell and his team worked with all involved, including parents, to design the building. "We believe we have the best product based upon phenomenal community input. The facility provides us with the appropriate infrastructure that we need to bring teams of clinicians together in the best interest of kids."

The main entrance is bathed in natural light and has a large reception desk low enough for a child using a mobility device such as a walker or wheelchair. Natural wood adds warmth and a salt-water aquarium generates communication and interaction between children and parents.

A living green wall lined with plants in the lobby reminds guests and clients of Northern Ontario's environment. Windows throughout the building provide natural light.

A number of activity rooms accommodate a wide range of therapeutic interventions and a gym supports the therapeutic recreation program.

A daily living area provides a space for teenagers to plan, cook and share meals as they learn valuable life skills to prepare for their transition to independent living.

As One Kids Place moves forward, Sharpe is pleased and excited about not only finishing this new facility, but also about bringing community partners together to continue to work on opportunities to enhance children's services.


www.onekidsplace.ca