Staff members of Southlake’s inpatient mental
health program
By: Danae Theakston, Communications Strategist, Southlake Regional Health Centre
Being in the right space to receive care is an extremely important factor in a patient's care journey, particularly for those struggling with mental health challenges. After multiple years of planning and construction, Southlake Regional Health Centre welcomed their first patients onto a new 12-bed Adult Inpatient Mental Health Unit on February 28, 2023.
The new unit offers a peaceful healing environment with an abundance of space and natural light, helping clinicians and staff treat patients with dignity. It prioritizes the needs of mental health patients by focusing on space, privacy, and support while protecting everyone's health and safety to promote a healing environment.
The additional capacity of the new unit will increase the total inpatient adult mental health capacity from 29 to 41 beds and will allow Southlake to serve more than 2,000 patients each year with specialized equipment and furnishings tailored to meet the unique needs of mental health patients.
“We are thrilled to be opening this new unit to increase access to mental health care in our community," said Arden Krystal, President & CEO Southlake Regional Health Centre. “Thanks to the investment from the Ontario government and the generosity of our donors, we are able to care for more patients in a space that is suited specifically for their needs."
Southlake launched the Better Begins Today fundraising campaign to support mental health care at Southlake in October 2020 to help cover the remaining costs of the program's expansion following a funding announcement of $6.5 million from the Ontario government. Through the incredible support of the community, a $7.5 million fundraising goal was reached that enabled the building of the new 12-bed Adult Inpatient Unit, an Emergent Mental Health Assessment Unit and other site improvements to transform mental health care at Southlake.
“Southlake is at the heart of the mental health crisis in a region that has one of the country's fastest growing and rapidly aging populations," said Barbara Steed, Executive Vice President, Clinical Services, Southlake Regional Health Centre. “This new unit will allow us to expand the care we can offer to our communities and ensure leading edge mental health care."
The new unit incorporates new spaces for social interaction, recreation, and a better overall patient experience throughout the healing process. This expansion reflects a more modern approach to care and includes a common area to support patient recovery for group therapy and dining, as well as larger interview rooms to maintain patient privacy. A large nursing station will help improve the staff experience and accommodate a 360-degree camera monitoring system to support patient and staff safety.
“The opening of this unit is not only an essential support for our patients and community but is a great testament to the hard work of Southlake's Capital Development team and all the tradespeople who turned our vision into reality," said John Marshman, Vice President, Capital, Facilities & Business Development, Southlake Regional Health Centre.
With the right space as a tool, Southlake's compassionate team can provide leading edge care and optimal results for patients.