CHEO's Integrated Treatment Centre is an opportunity for children, youth, families, staff and medical staff to partner together to co-design a brand-new CHEO facility and model of care. With children, youth and families as the main users of the Integrated Treatment Centre, we want to make sure the way care is delivered supports each of their unique needs along their entire health-care journey. To make this vision a reality, it is important that we work together to include as many different voices and perspectives as possible.
Who we are
The Integrated Treatment Centre Family Advisory Committee (FAC) provides guidance, recommendations, and feedback to CHEO. The FAC is made up of advisors representing family members and caregivers of children and youth who access developmental, rehabilitation, behavioural and mental health clinic services at CHEO – all of which will be part of the new Integrated Treatment Centre. The advisors each have lived experience that they are using to help build a life-changing, integrated children’s treatment centre, that will directly benefit children and youth in our region.
What we do
The FAC reports directly to the Integrated Treatment Centre Steering Committee. Their responsibilities include:
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Partnering with CHEO experts to provide advice, from the family perspective, on all key decision-making.
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Participating in user groups sessions to point out key considerations, so that the needs of all families are met when designing the layout of the building and the new way of delivering care.
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Ensuring what is currently working well gets recreated in the new building/way of delivering care.
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Providing insight and context on issues currently facing families who will be served by the Integrated Treatment Centre (e.g. accessibility, programs and services that should be connected, etc.).
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Advocating for funding needs and government approval to ensure there is adequate support for the Integrated Treatment Centre.
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Participating in additional CHEO committees and task forces, and reporting back to Integrated Treatment Centre FAC.
Hear from some of our members
Sheena Murphy
As a CHEO mom and representative from the Complex Care Family Advisory Council, who has been exposed to all aspects and clinics within CHEO, I felt it was important to give a voice to children like my son who are unable to speak for themselves. I have always been grateful to CHEO for seeking out the input of patients and families and truly believe this is a critical and powerful perspective for all projects, but especially for the Integrated Treatment Centre project. I am forever grateful to CHEO and the staff at CHEO, so I embrace opportunities to give back and support positive changes that will help all children live their best life.
Christine Dalgleish
Sometimes we don't get to choose the path we're on, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my family's journey in hopes that it can help the families that come after us. The children, youth and families who rely on CHEO to take care of them need to also be able to rely on CHEO to be physically and emotionally accessible, inclusive and welcoming for people of all needs and abilities. It is so important for those with lived experience to contribute to the direction and design of this exciting project at CHEO, and the Integrated Treatment Centre FAC gives those voices an opportunity to truly be part of the process from beginning to end.
How to join
Would you like to partner with other families and staff to create the best model of care and facility for children and youth with complex physical, behavioural and mental health needs?
We’re looking for people who have experience with CHEO’s developmental, rehabilitation, behavioural or mental health clinic services and:
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Are passionate about using their personal, lived experience to advocate on behalf of other children, youth and families who will be future users of the Integrated Treatment Centre.
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Love finding ways to make things better.
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Speak comfortably in a group.
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Are willing to listen and reflect on issues and priorities that may be different from their own.
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Can consistently attend meetings and provide timely feedback as needed.
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See beyond their own experience and can provide advice without only promoting one solution or point of view.
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Understand that projects of this size need flexibility and are willing to adapt if the process needs to change along the way.
If you feel like you would make a good addition to the Integrated Treatment Centre FAC and can commit two to four hours per month to attend meetings and provide feedback on documents, then we encourage you to fill out our online application form.
We will follow up with interested applicants to discuss the next steps. This typically begins with a simple phone call to discuss your interests. We are happy to accommodate accessibility needs.
Questions? Contact the Integrated Treatment Centre Project Team: cheointegratedtreatmentcentre@cheo.on.ca.
Share your voice
CHEO has many other ways to get involved, including our:
Integrated Treatment Centre Family Advisory Committee
Neurodevelopmental Health Patient and Family Advisory Committee
Complex Care Family Advisory Council
Corporate Family Advisory Council
CHEO Research Institute Patient and Family Advisory Committee