Planning for mental health and addictions campus begins

One of the world’s leading planning and design firms will soon begin the planning process for a new mental health and addictions campus in P.E.I.

CannonDesign Ltd. has been awarded a contract following government’s tender process.

In partnership with Architecture49, CannonDesign Ltd. will soon begin the year-long master programming and planning for the campus that will replace Hillsborough Hospital.

Government is investing about $500,000 over the next two fiscal years for this work through Health P.E.I.’s capital budget. In addition — as part of its 2018-19 capital budget released last week – government set aside $55 million over the next five years for initial infrastructure development. A more detailed infrastructure plan and budget for the entire project will follow as part of the master programming and planning.

Consultations will take place with key partners throughout the health system along with government departments, the community and patients and their families.

Master programming will detail and articulate future mental and addictions programs and services, identify best practice service trends, opportunities and challenges; describe key health, service and administrative processes and outline human resources required to provide defined programs and services.

Once the master program is complete, the master planning process will commence. Master planning will outline potential capital and infrastructure options to meet the program’s service definitions for the redevelopment of the Hillsborough Hospital site and provide a proposed configuration of how a future mental health and addictions campus of services could be developed to meet the province’s needs.

Verna Ryan, Health P.E.I.’s chief administrative officer for mental health and addictions, said this is more than just designing a new hospital.

“We need to plan out the program needs, the human resource requirements and what infrastructure would be best suited to care for Islanders faced with mental health and addiction issues,” said Ryan. “Moving forward, we will be able to address the growing demand for complex mental health cases, forensic psychiatry, in-patient youth mental health care, transitional support for individuals moving back into community following in-patient stays, along with other emerging areas of mental health and addictions care.”

She said patients will benefit from a modern environment that meets current care and safety standards, but more importantly, one that is designed specifically to support their healing and wellbeing.

Tim Rommel, principal for CannonDesign Ltd., said Health P.E.I. is taking bold steps to address the needs of those most vulnerable in our society and in need of specialized care.