Creating a new space for mental health care in East Toronto

Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) has a well-established adult mental health program which works in conjunction with outpatient mental health programs and services within the community. As part of the hospital’s $500 million redevelopment project, MGH’s adult mental health inpatient program will be moving into a new unit on level five of the Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre.

The hospital’s new Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit, which will have the capacity to accommodate 43 patients, has been designed using best practices in mental health design and will provide a safe and supportive healing environment for patients receiving care.

All bedrooms on the unit will be private rooms and will include:

• A washroom with shower amenities
• A large window which provides access to natural light and views
• A custom built in desk and weighted chair
• A bed and side table
• A lockable wardrobe for personal belongings
• Patient controlled lighting

All the furniture, fixtures and finishes have been selected to ensure the ongoing health and safety of both patients and staff at MGH.

On the unit, patients will receive treatment specific to their needs and abilities ranging from one-to-one treatment to group integration. Though some patients may receive treatment in their rooms, most therapy/interviews/consults will take place in communal, multi-purpose rooms located on the unit. These multi-purpose spaces will allow for a physical and emotional separation between therapy activities and personal space.

The department will also have two dining rooms with seating capacity for all patients to eat three meals a day. The design and size of the dining rooms will allow for great flexibility and will also be used for other social group activities or events. 

As part of the project, the dedicated Huband Moffat Family Terrace has been built for mental health programming. This amenity space will have natural plant species, a variety of fixed seating, hard and soft surfaces for therapeutic patient programming and a shade structure named for The Mitchell and Kathryn Baran Family Foundation/Danielle Baran. For visibility and safety, the area will be enclosed with a tempered glass high guardrail.

MGH’s Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre including the Adult Inpatient Mental Health Unit will open its doors to the community in 2022. Don’t miss a moment of the action onsite; watch the construction activity LIVE here.