St. Joseph’s Hospital should have its east wing expansion complete as early as fall 2017.
St. Joseph’s Care Group president and CEO Tracy Buckler said Friday that once construction is complete the east wing will house the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation program.
The new program will include 38 inpatient beds and related outpatient programs designed to serve people with serious mental illness.
“The intent is to get people to a functional mobility, so that they are able to manage in the community,” Buckler said Friday morning at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
“They would be able to be transitioned successfully in the community and into the community setting with whatever supports they need, so we always have to make sure that the home and community supports are available.”
The design of the building will support clients in their day-to-day activities, they will have separate bedrooms, their own bathing facilities and they will be able to prepare their meals with some help.
The new wing will include inpatient, outpatient and outreach services.
“This new design will allow more flow through, so more clients will be able to be served, and we will be able to relocate them more appropriately,” Buckler said.
She added that the hospital will be replicating the rehab program from the Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital before moving over to the new wing.
“The clients that are there will hopefully successfully transition back to the community and whoever is in rehab at the time of transition will move over.”
Buckler said it’s the hospital’s intention is to relocate the clients who are currently at the psychiatric hospital before the new wing opens.
Once the mental health rehab program is relocated the psychiatric hospital will close.
St. Joseph’s care group vice-president of infrastructure and planning Scott Potts the work to expand the east wing of the north-facility is about 35 per cent compete.
“We are looking to be fully enclosed by the fall, so probably late October, early November,” Potts said.
Once the building is fully enclosed, over the winter, construction will begin on the inside.
Potts added that construction is on track and the new wing could open as early as next fall.
