Ottawa’s hospitals stand together to help the region’s children and youth

November 18, 2022

Hospitals in Ottawa are ready to help the region’s children, youth and families get the timely care they need, as directed by Ontario Health. We are all happy to do our part in helping manage the sustained and unprecedented surge CHEO has been experiencing this fall.

Here’s what families need to know

• Young people are always welcome at the Emergency Departments of the region’s non-pediatric hospitals.
• Following a directive issued by Ontario Health, all youth aged 16+ requiring emergency care or admission to an inpatient unit will be redirected to other acute care hospitals in the region, including The Ottawa Hospital, Queensway Carleton Hospital or Hôpital Montfort.
• Our teams are ready and prepared to provide this care. CHEO clinicians are available to support all the region’s hospitals on individual cases as required.
• The directive does not apply to:
• youth with eating disorders
• youth who have experienced sexual assault
• youth already being followed by CHEO for chronic conditions

Providing care to 16- and 17-year-olds is not new for the region’s adult hospitals. It has happened in the past on a case-by-case basis. In addition, the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre will continue to work with CHEO as well the adult hospitals to provide specialized mental health services for 16- to 18-year-olds.

The surge is being driven by an early and hard-hitting respiratory viral season. And on that, we’d like to join CHEO in calling for everyone do what they can to reduce the spread of these viral illnesses in our community.

Here are ways the people of Ottawa can help:

• Wear a mask in crowded indoor spaces, including schools
• Stay home when sick
• Wash your hands, frequently
• Get all vaccines you are eligible for, including COVID-19 and flu

Helpful health resources to consider for non-emergency care

• Does your child or youth need emergency care? Check out this resource from CHEO.
• Kids Comes First COVID-19 Care Clinic (This page lists four clinics in the area that assess children and youth with symptoms related to respiratory viral illnesses, including influenza, RSV, and COVID.)
• 1Call1Click.ca (this includes a crisis line for mental health)
• AccessMHA.ca (anyone aged 16 years or older can contact AccessMHA for help with finding mental health services)

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Media contacts
CHEO: Chris Vallée, chvallee@cheo.on.ca
Montfort: Geneviève Picard, communications@montfort.on.ca
Queensway Carleton Hospital: Kelly Spence, kspence@qch.on.ca
The Ottawa Hospital: Rebecca Abelson, rabelson@toh.ca
The Royal: Karen Monaghan, karen.monaghan@theroyal.ca
The University of Ottawa Heart Institute: Leigh B. Morris, lmorris@ottawaheart.ca