May
12
James Bay Community Project
By Barbara Thompson, Clinic Manager
This year, the Victoria Youth Clinic celebrates 15 years of providing youth-friendly primary health care to youth aged 12-24 in the Greater Victoria area. A program of the James Bay Community Project, the clinic opened its doors on April 1, 1998.
The idea to create a health care centre for youth in the Victoria area was initiated by Mr. Pat Griffin, executive director of the Youth Empowerment Society in the early 1990's, because he recognized the lack of health care support dedicated to youth, and in particular those at risk. Gaining support from other community partners; the James Bay Community Project, the CRD health department and then City of Victoria councillor Helen Hughes, a Steering Committee was created to develop the idea. The James Bay Community Project's executive manager at the time, Judy Burgess, subsequently made an application to the Ministry of Health in 1995 and 1996 for funds to expand the JBCP health clinic to include youth services. This request was finally approved for funding by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry for Children and Families and other fundraising sources, for start-up in the spring of 1998.
Focus groups, helping to ensure a "youth-friendly" environment, was created at the clinic. Operating out of the James Bay Project, and for a short time in Esquimalt on a part-time basis, the clinic's mission was to "foster connections and create partnerships with the service community working with high risk youth, including street involved youth." In the first year of operation, there were 220 patient visits with over 60% of the youth being "high-risk." Funding limitations restricted the clinic's hours of operation at that time and is still an issue today.
Over the years, the clinic has continued to evolve as it addressed the health care needs of the youth in the Greater Victoria area. Our mandate continues to serve youth who are vulnerable and at risk for poor health outcomes. Many of these youth are street-involved.
Clinic staff has changed over the years, but one of the founding members, Kim Daly RN, is still working weekly at the clinic in a counselling role, as well as finishing her doctorate in nursing! Our regular staff includes, Dr. Jennifer Lee, Dr. Kristen Korol, Dr. Pam Nicholls, Dr. Naomi Hwang, Alanna Jackson RN, and Sara Gifford, as our outreach worker. This dedicated team has worked for many years with this population to provide comprehensive health care for youth.
In 2006, while still providing care out of the James Bay Community Project, the clinic opened a second clinic at 533 Yates Street in the Youth Empowerment Society building near Bastion Square. This dedicated open space continues to provide a welcoming, safe environment for youth.
Patient volume continues to increase annually with an average of between 35-45% . In 2012 we had over 5300 patient visits and we currently have an active patient list of over 1200, which continues to grow daily. Funding continues to be a concern for us with the increased number of youth accessing our services and the changes in services required. Mental health and addictions have become predominant reasons for youth to seek help. The complex nature of these health issues requires greater time and care by staff. Our services have been enhanced with the addition of counselling and psychiatry but we require more physician hours to support this growing. We are still awaiting news regarding this request to the Ministry of Health. We receive funds from VIHA, MCFD, United Way and other private donors and grants to provide this not-for-profit health care model.
This summer we will be moving our clinic site solely to the Downtown site on June 17th. This move will help to accommodate the number of youth accessing our services. We will be open Mondays and Thursdays 3-7pm and Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11-3pm. Further information will be provided regarding this change as we approach the date and an Open House is being planned for the fall.