$8.4 million boost in funding to expand pediatric services
WHITBY — The Ontario government is investing more than $8.4 million to increase access to pediatric services for children and youth in Durham Region and surrounding areas so they have the care they need, when they need it, right in their own community. This is part of the government’s investment of an additional $330 million each year in pediatric health services at hospitals and community-based health care facilities across the province.
“Our government is making record investments in the health and well-being of our children,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “This ongoing pediatric funding provided to services in the Durham region will have a tremendous impact on children and their families, ensuring they receive faster access to care when they need it.”
The $8.4 million in additional funding will support programs and services at the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences ($1.8 million) and the Grandview Children’s Centre ($6.64 million). The funding will be used to:
- Create a new Adolescent Eating Disorder Day Treatment Program that connects people to the right level of care and ensures smooth transitions between services, including an eight-hour daily treatment program.
- Reduce wait times for people to connect to specialized mental health supports after being discharged from an eating disorder treatment centre by expanding the Adolescent Eating Disorder Day Community-Based Outpatient Program.
- Hire additional staff to expand the Adolescent Eating Disorder Inpatient Unit and lower the patient-to-staff ratio to help people connect to more direct therapeutic care.
- Increase access to children’s rehabilitation services, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language services through the Grandview Children’s Centre.
“Our government is continuing to ensure children and youth in every corner of the province have access to high-quality and convenient care, closer to home” said Robin Martin, Parliamentary Assistant to Minister of Health. “This investment in Durham Region will make it easier and faster for young people and their families to connect to the care they need for years to come.”
This consistent and stable annual funding increase will ensure hospitals and children’s rehabilitation providers in Durham Region have the people, resources and technology to improve access to pediatric care and prevent backlogs. Over 100 high-priority initiatives are being quickly implemented across Ontario to ensure children and youth in every corner of the province can connect to emergency care, surgeries, ambulatory services, diagnostic imaging, and mental health services.
“Ontario is putting children and youth first by ensuring they receive the care they need when they need it,” said Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. “Our government’s significant investment in pediatric care will reduce waitlists, improve access to clinical assessments, early intervention, and children’s rehabilitation services, such as speech-language pathology, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. This means less time waiting for services, quicker recovery, and better quality of life for children and their families in Durham Region and across the province.”
Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is providing significant financial support to hospitals and communities to improve how they deliver pediatric care – ensuring Ontarians of all ages can access care easier, faster, and closer to home in their communities.