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Fall Update

As we transition into the fall, there are many exciting things happening at the NEO Kids Children’s Treatment Centre and the NEO Kids & Family Program at Health Sciences North. It’s hard to believe that it has almost been a year since we moved to our new location at the Southridge Mall. It’s a wonderful space that was designed with the needs of our families and staff in mind. We also love the free parking and public transportation at the door!

We are happy to report that while we continue to follow hospital Covid protocols, we have resumed our Preschool program and face to face services and groups. Staff are back working on site full time.  It’s wonderful to see more children and youth on location at our centre, in our schools, at local child care centres and in our rural areas. We also continue to offer some virtual services. Here are a few updates:

NEO Navigation:  Central Intake

HSN’s NEO Kids & Family Program is excited to announce that we have received funding from the Ministry of Health to implement NEO Navigation, a regional centralized intake program serving children and youth with medical healthcare needs. Following a no-wrong-door approach, the NEO Navigation team will individually assess all clients referred to the central intake (inclusive of CTC referrals), they will provide families with systems navigation and connect them to local services and supports that best meet the child and family’s needs, as early as possible. NEO Navigation will also provide check-in support for those who are waitlisted for NEO Kids & Family services and waiting for Pediatrician consultation at the Kids Care Centre.

New eReferral System: OCEAN eReferral

The investment for a central intake will modernize the way practitioners, caregivers, and community partners access pediatric services. NEO Navigation now provides a single access point to electronically send a referral for pediatric medical health services through Ocean eReferral. This reduces the current 30+ different paper-based referrals and workflows, to a single user-friendly electronic referral form. Providers can continue to access services using the current paper referral forms, and as of the first week of October 2022, providers are also able to submit an electronic form. An electronic patient/parent self-referral form and an electronic SBRS form will also be available.  Direct links will be accessible on the CTC website, under the “Referrals” tab.

SmartStart Hubs: Connecting families to child development services

The NEO Kids Children’s Treatment Centre has been selected as one of the 22 SmartStart Hubs in the province. SmartStart Hubs is a clear point of entry to child development services for parents and caregivers who have concerns about the child’s development, who are not sure what services to seek or how to access them. SmartStart Hub services will proudly be delivered by the NEO Kids Navigation team. The team will work with families to help find the services and supports that best meet the child and family’s needs.  Work continues this fall to prepare for this new service. All 22 Hubs will be set up and delivering services to families by January 2023.

New Awning

Construction will soon begin on the installation of a new awning at our entrance, protecting us from the elements as we enter the building. During construction, the main entrance will be closed and visitors will be using the entrance at our Preschool door which is accessed through our Playground.   

New CTC Clinical Manager

CTC will be welcoming a new clinical manager this fall. I recently announced my retirement from the centre. My final day will be November 18th. I will greatly miss our families, our staff and being part of this wonderful centre. I have great memories of my years at CTC:  20 years in total, first as the social worker for the centre and the last 8 years as Clinical manager. I have learned so much from our families and our staff and I am very grateful and appreciative of all of the support I have received over the years in my role as Clinical manager.

There has been a lot of change in the last 8 years and there are more changes to come to reflect our commitments:

  • To the children and families that we serve 
  • To be innovative leaders
  • To continue to build on our existing strengths and commitment towards maintaining a high standard service delivery model
  • To ensuring that children, youth and their families will receive what they need at the right time, at the right place, with the right people

We look forward to welcoming our new Clinical manager.

So many new and exciting initiatives. Stay tuned for updates.

Joanne Huneault
Clinical Manager
NEO Kids Children’s Treatment Centre.

A Photograph of the Children's Treatment Centre team.

Who We Are

Health Sciences North's NEO Kids Children's Treatment Centre is a family-centred community-based rehabilitation facility providing assessment, treatment, consultation and education to children and young adults with motor and communication impairments.

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What We Do

The NEO Kids Children's Treatment Centre strives for the best quality of life and health for its clients by enhancing their self-esteem and facilitating their function, independence and community participation.

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Who We Serve

The NEO Kids Children's Treatment Centre offers services for children aged 0-19. Some programs continue up to age 21. Healthcare professionals provide pediatric rehabilitation services in Sudbury and rural areas in the Sudbury Manitoulin District, including the communities of Sudbury East, Manitoulin Island, Espanola,  Chapleau and the 144 corridor. 

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HSN’s New Children’s Treatment Centre Officially Opens

Greater Sudbury – HSN’s Children’s Treatment Centre (CTC) and Infant and Child Development Services (ICDS) have officially opened in their new, fully-accessible space at the Southridge Mall in Sudbury.

The staff of HSN and CTC standing in front of the new Children's Treatment Centre location.

The CTC is a family-centred, community-based rehabilitation program that provides assessment, treatment, consultation and education to 2,000 children and young adults with motor and communications impairments. The ICDS specializes in providing services and resources for families with children who are at risk of having or have a delay in their development. Relocating to this new site with easy access to parking, transit, as well as food and retail services will be extremely beneficial to the children and families who use the CTC most.

“We are so excited to welcome patients and families to this new location,” said Natalie Kennedy, Administrative Director for NEO Kids and Family Programs at Health Sciences North (HSN). “The space is 30 per cent larger, bright, colourful and accessible and just a great example of what health care spaces built with children in mind can be. We had excellent input from the working group of patients, families and staff who took part in the planning and consultation process for the new location.”

The creation of the new space at the Southridge Mall was made possible through an important partnership between HSN and Ontario’s Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS).

“I wish to extend my sincere congratulations to the staff at HSN who made this move possible for the children and families served by the CTC,” said Dominic Giroux, President and CEO of HSN. “This allows for children to be cared for in a new site designed with their needs in mind, while also allowing for 52 new beds to be built in the old site at HSN. I especially want to thank the Ontario Ministry of Health and Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services for their support in this important work.”

“It is wonderful to see the opening of this important, modern facility that means supports for over 2,000 children and youth across the Sudbury and Manitoulin district,” said Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. “Our government continues to deliver important infrastructure projects, such as this Children’s Treatment Centre, that will enhance community services for generations to come.”

Ontario’s 21 Children’s Treatment Centres are funded by the MCCSS and most are not located at acute care hospital sites.

The CTC and ICDS are a part of HSN’s NEO Kids and Family Department which also includes Acute Pediatric Inpatient Care, Neonatal Intensive Care, the Birthing Centre, ambulatory pediatrics clinics, and the Violence Intervention and Prevention Program. These other components of NEO Kids will continue to operate in their current locations at the Ramsey Lake Health Centre. The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services invested $3.4 million in this project.

With the new location now officially open, attention will now focus on moving forward with construction for the 52 new bed spaces to be created in the old location of the CTC at HSN. These beds are fully funded by the Ministry of Health and expected to be operational by December 2022. The capital contribution of the Ministry of Health for these renovations will be disclosed following the completion of the tendering process.

Jason Turnbull
Manager of Communications and Community Engagement
Health Sciences North

Phone: 705-523-7100 ext. 3540
Mobile: 705-507-3677
Email: jturnbull@hsnsudbury.ca

Additional Background: Members of the United Steelworkers Local 6500 in Sudbury are also celebrating the move as they raised $500,000 for the CTC between 2003 and 2012 where one penny from every hour worked by a USW Local 6500 member was set aside

We have moved!

NEO Kids Children’s Treatment Centre, NEO Kids Infant & Child Development

Our new location:

Southridge Mall
Rue 1933 Regent St., Unit 46F
Sudbury, ON P3E 5R2

Phone: 705-523-7120 ext 1480
Toll-Free: 800-377-2128
Fax: 705-523-7157

Government of Ontario makes historic investment in child development and rehabilitation

This is an amazing day for Ontario families. The government is making an historic investment in the child development and rehabilitation sector of $240 million over four years to address wait lists for pediatric rehabilitation and child development, making sure kids get services in a timely way. The NEO Kids Children’s Treatment Centre will be receiving funds to help address its lengthy waiting lists. Today 80,000 kids are waiting for treatment across the province.  This funding will enable providers to increase staffing, develop new models of service aligned with families’ expectations, and increase programs that support families and family engagement.

“The biggest concern that  our families have expressed over the years has been the length of time that they  have had to wait for services” says Joanne Huneault, Clinical manager of the NEO Kids Children’s Treatment Centre.  “In some programs, waiting lists have exploded and wait times can be several years, which is not acceptable. We know that early intervention is key to positive outcomes for children. The additional funds will allow us to reduce wait times. We are excited and very grateful for the new funding.”

“Empowered Kids Ontario-Enfants Avenir Ontario (EKO) and our members greatly appreciate the financial support announced today in the 2021-22 provincial budget by Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy,” says EKO CEO Jennifer Churchill. “This is a profound investment that ensures the high-quality care kids and their families deserve will reach more kids and significantly reduce wait times.”

Ontario’s child development and rehabilitation agencies across the province provide services and programs, including core rehabilitation therapies—physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language therapy—to more than 150,000 kids every year, at home, in schools and in the community.

This will allow our members to see more of the kids who are waiting for all levels of service—whether they need only a few visits or many visits to help them achieve their goals.

“On behalf of our sector, we thank the Government of Ontario for this meaningful support, and for ongoing efforts to address the urgent treatment needs of kids with disabilities and their families,” says EKO Chair Penny Smiley.

The funding addresses an increasingly urgent gap between the time a child may miss developmental milestones and when they enter service. This funding will enable providers to increase staffing, develop new models of service aligned with families’ expectations, and increase programs that support families and family engagement.

“We want to acknowledge the investment in capital and how important these providers are to their communities,” adds Churchill. “We’re thrilled to see that the government is making sure community-based providers are able to welcome kids and families and provide care in facilities that enable leading clinical practice.”

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