Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) has received more than $1.7 million from the County of Simcoe as part of its ongoing support of local healthcare and the Simcoe County Hospital Alliance.
The latest installment of the county’s $5.6 million pledge to RVH supports the Simcoe Muskoka Child and Youth Mental Health program and is part of the county’s 15-year, $45 million commitment to area hospitals in the Simcoe County Hospital Alliance.
“This generous investment demonstrates the County of Simcoe’s ongoing commitment to improving residents’ access to high-quality, specialized healthcare, closer to home,”says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. “Children and youth have struggled during the pandemic and now, more than ever, it’s important to continue investing in mental health programs and services to support them.”
RVH’s regional Child and Youth Mental Health program includes an eight-bed inpatient unit and comprehensive day program, as well as high school classes for teenagers struggling to cope in a traditional school setting due to a mental health crisis. Since opening in December 2017 RVH has cared for nearly 4,000 child and youth mental health patients.
The Simcoe County Hospital Alliance, comprised of hospitals in Simcoe County and Newmarket that care for county residents, was established in 2002 to advise the County of Simcoe of ongoing hospital capital needs and ensure equitable distribution of the county’s healthcare funding.
“County council has a long history of investing in our hospitals and has provided more than $20 million to support important regional healthcare programs at RVH,” says County of Simcoe Warden George Cornell. “We know that the pandemic has stretched our healthcare system and created increased needs in many areas, including mental health. By supporting this regional child and youth mental health program, we are telling the next generation that they are important to us and that we will stand beside them when they need us the most.”
Since 1994, the County of Simcoe has committed $107 million to improve local hospital care and specialized services, including: cancer and cardiac care, emergency services, dialysis, mental health care, neonatal care and imaging technology. The county contributed $20 million to RVH’s 2012 expansion which doubled the size of the health centre, including a regional cancer centre.