Clinical and Client Services
Expanding programs mean clients have new ways of reaching their full potential.
Transform the client and family experience across all life stages
Grandview supports families through coordinated service delivery with every transition.
Grandview Kids has entered its third year of delivering the School-Based Rehabilitation Services (SBRS) in the Durham Region and Scarborough. During this period, Grandview Kids has been the direct service provider for Durham Region school boards and contracting two service providers in Scarborough. In 2021, we became the direct service providers for SBRS in three neighbourhoods in Scarborough, providing occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech-language pathology in English and French.
As our services expand, Grandview Kids continues to apply a variety of strategies to improve access and streamline SBRS. This year, we added speech-language therapy assistants to provide therapy while receiving mentorship from a speech-language pathologist. We have also expanded speech therapy parent and caregiver workshops in Durham Region and Scarborough. Lastly, we assigned a single therapist per discipline for school-aged clients in centre-based and school-based programs. These tactics have improved the coordination of service within our local schools.
The Ontario Autism Program’s (OAP) Foundational Family Services were offered throughout the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) continued throughout the COVD-19 pandemic. Services included workshops for parents and caregivers, brief intervention sessions with social work, paperwork parties and funding application support, and various activities through the Family Engagement Team. Support for parents and caregivers overseeing their youth’s transition from paediatric to adult care services was a major focus of this year, with a Youth Transition Clinic launch. This clinic expands the ongoing support provided by clinicians and social workers, with $50,000 in funding provided by TD Bank. In the coming year, families and clinicians will work side-by-side to develop and implement resources and activities to guide parents and caregivers through the complexity of this transition.
Championing a connected system
2021 was a year of tremendous growth and development for Clinical and Client Services.
While the COVID-19 pandemic still dominated our communal life experiences, we have much to celebrate. We increased our in-person activities while continuing to implement appropriate health and safety measures and launched some new and exciting initiatives. The year reflected a reassuring move to the (somewhat) familiar for clients, families, and team members.
In partnership with Lake Ridge Community Support Services, Resources for Exceptional Children and Youth – Durham, and The Regional Municipality of Durham, Grandview Kids was selected as the lead agency to deliver three early years programs through the Ontario Autism Program (OAP). Four members of Team Grandview completed rigorous training and provided the Social ABCs to families of young children with autism. This evidence-based caregiver-mediated program helps parents and caregivers find new ways for their children to learn skills and achieve goals in social communication. The partnership was also awarded the opportunity to offer the OAP Entry to School program, helping to prepare children and families for the transition to school.
The relationship with local school boards continued to strengthen over the past 12 months. We formalized quarterly meetings with the English and French school boards in Scarborough and Durham Region to review SBRS data, discuss access concerns, and collaborate to develop and co-facilitate staff development sessions pertaining to SBRS, prescription of equipment and other topics of interest. We now move to re-establish SBRS best practices post-COVID. The Clinical and Client Services team is grateful to work alongside our education partners and contracted service providers to respond to the needs of the students and families we serve.
Building Capacity
Investing in Team Grandview keeps best practices aligned with emerging evidence.
True to our commitment to family-centred care, Grandview’s Interprofessional Practice Team (IPT) membership expanded to include a parent representative from the Family Engagement Team, Service Navigation and a therapy assistant. This team is engaged in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of new services and programs. In addition, Grandview clinicians continued to mentor new clinicians and supported student placements for associated college and university paediatric interns.
To honour our culture of curiosity, our revised education policy offers four education days to each member of Team Grandview. These days can be used to attend workshops, conferences or study for exams with regulatory colleges. In addition, following the completion of successful probation, Team Grandview members are provided with up to $750 per annum on expenses related to education. This is an addition to centre-wide trainings and learning opportunities that are regularly offered to all staff.
Team Grandview is committed to improving the client and family experience and providing services that meet the needs of the clients and caregivers. While we have many accomplishments to share, diligent work continues to improve access and outcomes for those we serve. We thank our clients, families, staff and community partners for the tremendous opportunities to learn with, and from each other.
I can’t wait to see what Grandview helps Ethan accomplish next.
Meet Ethan, as told by Kathlyn Konecny
When we first met our Grandview team Ethan was incredibly fragile. He had spent the first seven months of his life in the NICU and had been readmitted three times over the next few months.
Ethan has formally been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and a global developmental delay. Early on, it was unclear whether he would be able to walk or talk.
Ethan was a little over a year old when he had his first therapy session at Grandview. At that time, he was unable to lift his head. He was on supplemental oxygen and was tube fed.
His early sessions were incredibly challenging. There were lots of tears, and he needed lots of breaks and cuddles. Now at three years old, he looks forward to therapy. His team is amazing. Ethan is always excited to go play with his therapists. Ethan has made some incredible gains. He is now walking and talking and in a few months, he will start junior kindergarten at Grandview’s Campbell Children’s School where he will continue to benefit from everything Grandview has to offer our extraordinary kiddo. I can’t wait to see what Grandview helps Ethan accomplish next.
THANK YOU
Thank you for making a profound impact on Grandview kids’ lives, helping them move, play, learn, communicate and connect in ways their families never thought possible. We are excited for this next chapter as we journey together towards a bold new beginning of hope, belonging, discovery and celebration of Grandview Kids and paediatric excellence in our community.
