Posted on: March 14, 2024
The RJH Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) team is excited to announce the opening of its new Young Adult Mental Health Unit.
The Young Adult Mental Health Unit is located in the Patient Care Center of Royal Jubilee Hospital, and offers a specialized team and programming to serve the acute mental healthcare needs of the young adult cohort. Development and planning have been underway since 2021 and 1 South officially transitioned from an Adult Mental Health Unit to the Young Adult Mental Health Unit on November 20, 2023.
Recognizing the growing demand for mental health services among young adults, the Young Adult Mental Health Unit is a crucial and timely addition to services currently available for young adults.
Creating the Young Adult Mental Health Unit was a truly collaborative effort. Physicians, clinicians, leaders, Patient + Caregiver Partners, Indigenous Partners, Change Management, and Project Management Teams worked together to create a new program to care for young adults requiring inpatient mental health services. Drawing on her previous experience as a Manager during the creation of a Young Adult Mental Health Unit in Alberta, Tasha McKelvey, Clinical Director of Acute Access and Crisis Response Services, MHSU South Island, championed the concept of a specialized Young Adult Mental Health Unit at RJH.
As the first specialized, acute care Young Adult Mental Health Unit in British Columbia, the RJH Young Adult Mental Health Unit serves the local population of young adults on the South Island. Admission to the Young Adult Mental Health Unit remains through RJH Psychiatric Emergency Services and the RJH Psychiatry Consult Liaison team. The Young Adult Mental Health Unit is designed to provide care for those who are 17-26 years old, are experiencing a first or active episode of psychosis or mood disorder, and could benefit from specialized assessment and recovery-focused programming.
The Young Adult Mental Health Unit strives for clinical excellence, focusing on early intervention, skill development, safety and relapse prevention planning. Care is provided in collaboration with the patient, their family and the healthcare team, including community services. With the expertise of the Clinical Counsellor, programming has been developed specifically for the young adult population.
Expansion of the interdisciplinary team is one of the many highlights on the Young Adult Mental Health Unit. In addition to increases in Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, and Recreational Therapy hours, the Young Adult Mental Health Unit boasts the addition of Mental Health Workers, Peer Support Workers, and a new full-time Clinical Counsellor dedicated to the Young Adult Mental Health Unit. Other vital members on the interdisciplinary team include Psychiatrists, Hospitalists, and Nursing Unit Assistants.
Group Programming is offered seven days per week, and the Young Adult Unit is pleased to offer group programming new to RJH MHSU, including Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Skills. Work is currently underway to explore including pet therapy for patients.
To create a more inviting space for patients and families, 1 South has undergone physical improvements as well. The Young Adult Unit now includes scenic Vancouver Island murals, updated furniture, a family conference room, a dedicated space for fitness activities, and is awaiting installation of a specially designed Indigenous art application.
With the support of the RJH MHSU Learning Health Systems Facilitator, in a commitment to continuous improvement, the new Young Adult Unit will learn from patient and caregiver feedback surveys, and continue facilitating Quality Improvement Huddles with the staff.
Please join us in congratulating RJH MHSU, and the Young Adult Mental Health Unit team on their work to reach this exciting achievement to improve mental health care for young adults.
If you have specific questions regarding the Young Adult Mental Health Unit, please contact Tasha McKelvey, Clinical Director, Harveen Dhaliwal, Manager, or Claire Jaenen, Clinical Coordinator for the Young Adult Mental Health Unit.