About the Project
In this section you will find facts and information about the project including design features, frequent questions, and the Project Partners.
Design Features - Northeast Mental Health Facility
The two-storey Northeast Mental Health Centre has a welcoming atrium and "Village Square" lobby at the west-end for patients and their families to visit. The mental health inpatient units or "lodges" are interconnected by a corridor system that creates secure inner courtyards helping to create this village-like environment.
At the heart of the village is a two-storey patient amenity and therapeutic support building, which will house a client services mall, gymnasium, workshops, psychiatric offices, clinical space and administrative functions. The sloping nature of the site allows the design to locate all lodges at "grade level" for ease of access to the outdoors.
The design is based on a best practice psycho-social model, which will provide the best clinical outcomes possible. Uniting the two environments will facilitate interaction that will help to break down misconceptions about mental illness and prepare patients for reintegration into the community.
The design will facilitate a focus on the importance of rehabilitation, re-learning the activities of daily living and gradual reintegration into society. There will be smaller inpatient units for eight to 16 patients, equipped with kitchens, living rooms, private bedrooms and ground-level access to the outdoors; a de-institutionalized, home-like environment.
The design includes a 61-bed longer-term specialized mental health program with secure courtyard access for each inpatient unit and a 52-bed forensic unit with state-of-the-art security systems, unobtrusive yet safe for patients, staff and the general public.