The Sherbourne Health Centre

The Sherbourne Health Centre (SHC) is the first of its kind in Ontario, an ambulatory health centre focusing exclusively on the health care needs of persons who are homeless/under housed, have mental health conditions and/or are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, or transexual. Located in a dense urban area in downtown Toronto, the centre was created to fill the local service gap created by the closure of the Wellesley Hospital, a large acute care hospital which served the inner city population. In addition to a comprehensive range of ambulatory care services, focusing on both immediate and primary care needs and more specialized health care programs, SHC provides an infirmary-recuperative care program for persons who are homeless and require a period of "home care" following an acute hospital stay.

Agnew Peckham worked with SHC through a consultative process to define the diverse range of ambulatory care programs needed by the Centre's target population. Together, we developed a clinical program service delivery plan and functional program for this new and unique ambulatory care centre. SHC has received capital and operating funding approvals and the project is underway as of 2004.

Value to Client

Agnew Peckham provided an organized and focused process for SHC to define the needs of the populations it serves and to develop programs and services that respond to those needs. The project also provided a basis for ongoing program planning allowing the Centre to evaluate its programs over time and adapt them to the changing needs of its community.

Relevance to Other Planning

Working with community-based organizations serving distinct populations is a valued component of our services. Our work with the Sherbourne Health Centre is paralleled by other recent client organizations, including

• Community Home Assistance to Seniors, providing community and day services to seniors
• Ottawa Children's Treatment Centre providing interdisciplinary services to children who have a combination of complex developmental and/or physical needs with associated communication and/or educational needs
• Woodgreen Community Services, providing community and supportive housing services to an inner city population including frail seniors
• PineGate Addiction Services, providing withdrawal management, assessment and counselling services to residents of a northern community
• Fife House providing supportive housing to persons who are HIV positive or living with AIDS

Our continued work with both community-based and institutional health care client organizations helps us understand the issues affecting both sectors and enables us to bring those perspectives to our clients. We believe that planning for comprehensive health care programs within a community must consider all components of the system, including hospital and community based services.

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