The Ontario government is providing over $2 million in annual additional funding to enhance children’s treatment services in the Peterborough area.
At the Five Counties Children’s Centre in Peterborough on Thursday, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith and Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott announced Five Counties will see its provincial funding increase by nearly $2.025 million per year.
It includes $1.714 million for community and school-based rehabilitation and $310,625 in preschool speech and language services.
Five Counties offers a number of child treatment services, such as speech, physio and occupational therapies, with service sites in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg, Campbellford and Minden, as well as in area schools and other venues.
Five Counties CEO Scott Pepin calls the funding a “historic investment” that will help reduce wait times for services, noting some wait-lists for specialized care are between 18 and 24 months.
“We’re extremely grateful to the Ontario government for this additional investment in children’s treatment services,” he said. “This is a huge win for our kids and families, as it will allow us to see and serve more families to help get them the treatment they need when they need it.”
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Smith and Scott say the funding — via Ontario’s $330-million investment in pediatric health services announced in July — shows the province’s commitment to youth care and is a “game-changer” for centres such as Five Counties.
“This long-term funding commitment demonstrates the Ontario government’s commitment to support the health and well-being of children and youth in our province, including right here at home,” Smith stated.
Added Scott: “Five Counties is a pillar of our community that offers supports to so many children in a variety of ways. Our government is proud to continue to support the centre’s commitment to improving the lives of those in our communities with their innovative treatment programs.”
Pepin says the new funding will also help retain and recruit staff, allowing them to fill current vacancies and add more clinicians in areas of high-demand services.
“Investing in our staff means we can invest in important treatment services that benefit our kids and families,” he said. “The funding also allows us to be more competitive and an employer of choice, especially to fill hard-to-recruit therapy positions that are often in high demand and short supply.”
Five Counties says over the past year it has served more than 6,200 children and youth — its highest number of annual clients in the organization’s 50-year history.
— more to come
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