In June 2000 Premier Klein announced that a new Alberta Children’s Hospital (ACH) would be built in Calgary within the context of a network of services for children and youth throughout Southern Alberta. This announcement reinforced the mandate of the ACH to provide specialized health services to children and youth throughout Southern Alberta, and it also acknowledged that the complexity of addressing child and youth health needs requires the involvement of many sectors and services.
The Southern Alberta Child & Youth Health Network (SACYHN) formed in September 2001 and is a collaborative venture among parents, regional authorities, ministries and provincial agencies, universities and the not-for-profit sector. Mrs. Colleen Klein agreed to be the honorary chair of the Network. SACYHN is building linkages across regions and sectors to support the provision of high quality, coordinated services to children and youth as close to home as possible.
Progress to date:
September 2000
Initial health authority stakeholder meeting in Canmore
April 2001
Cross-sector scope confirmed at stakeholder retreat in Lethbridge
July 2001
Key contacts (Network Coordinators) established in each of the Southern health regions
September 2001
Steering Committee formed with parents, health authorities, child-serving ministries, provincial agencies and boards, and universities
October 2001
Community Advisory Group formed for ACH Family & Community Resource Centre that will provide information to families throughout Southern Alberta
November 2001
Vision, Mission, Guiding Principles approved
January to June 2002
Working Groups established
January to August 2002
Review of existing outreach services completed, including survey of over 100 families, and Outreach Services Framework developed
April 2002
Affiliation Agreement outlining shared responsibility for SACYHN developed and signed by parents, Regional Health Authorities, Universities of Calgary and Alberta, United Way of Calgary, AADAC
Initial Communication Plan prepared and approved
Publication of Network Literature Review: Conceptualizing and Evaluating Networks
May 2002
Partnership developed with the Electronic Child Health Network (eCHN) in Ontario for access to professional development through the Professional On-Line Forum
Regional, cross-sector SACYHN groups begin to form in Southern Alberta
Implementation of clinical services and educational activities
via telehealth
June 2002
Process for Initial Parent/Youth Consultations developed and distributed
Regional priorities for outreach identified in preparation for additional pediatrician availability anticipated with a Paediatric Alternative Funding Plan
September 2002
Shared funding arrangement established for a Calgary Region Network Coordinator to address regional priorities
Implementation Evaluation Framework finalized
Implementation of Outreach Services Framework (ongoing)
Formal Outreach Agreements established for provision of specialized clinical services (e.g. genetics, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary, cardiology, diabetes) to Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Red Deer
Telehealth being utilized to provide follow-up clinical consultations, support discharge planning, transmit educational rounds, and provide direct consultation/teaching of new skills to support children in their home communities
October 2002
SACYHN Sustainability Plan developed
November 2002
Health regions participate in Children’s Services Youth Planning Forum
Publication and distribution of 10,000 copies of newsletter, Network News
January 2003
Formal launch and media event regarding Child Telehealth
April 2003
SACYHN Primary Care Capacity Building Proposal results in $1M over three years to build primary care provider capacity to identify and address maternal risk factors and children’s mental health
Launch of SACYHN website
May 2003
Publication and distribution of 10,000 copies of newsletter, Network News
June 2003
Publication of Outreach Services Baseline Evaluation Report
September 2003
Launch of SACYHN Child and Youth Advisory Council
Communication Plan updated to reflect changing strategic considerations
October 2003
Think Tank on Maternal Risk Factors held
Business case prepared for sustaining the Network
Aboriginal Child and Youth Health Project underway