Our Team

The director is responsible for establishing and maintaining the overall vision and approving all operations for the Provincial Assessment Centre. The person coordinates with other community health team leader throughout the province in order to provide a clear and unwavering mandate and acts as a liaison within CLBC management to speak for the needs of the Provincial Assessment Centre, its clients’ and its staff.

The Program Coordinator’s focus is to develop and review fundamental PAC programs. In the course of that position the PC takes on a supervisory role in supporting Nurses, MHSW’s, and the OT and Behavioural teams. In addition the person also assures a level of continuity of care throughout the client’s admission.

The Provincial Assessment Centre offers a wide variety of formal medical assessment. Each client is assigned their own Psychiatrist and General Physician to monitor all of their medical and psychiatric needs. In addition to this PAC also has available a Geneticist for consultation when needed.

The Medical Director, jointly with the Director of PAC, directs the operations of the program and provides leadership to the interdisciplinary program team. The Medical Director leads and facilitates a collaborative inter-professional environment to enhance patient/client-focused service. This role focuses on the development of a program team of service providers participating in the development of comprehensive continuums of care.

The psychologist consults on cognitive/developmental aspects of the client. If requested by the PAC team, the psychologist will perform a standardized assessment of developmental levels and make recommendations for the team and the community.

The Facilitator aids the community in navigating the referral process for the PAC admission, supports the client’s community network once they have been admitted and consults with all stakeholders in creating a comprehensive discharge plan.

The Community Liaison Nurse performs a pre-admission assessment and collaborates with community stakeholders, family, and individuals throughout the admission process offering them weekly progress updates regarding clients.

The role of the Occupational Therapist (OT) is to assess the functional ability of the individual’s in their social and physical environments. Through a variety of functional assessments (standardized and informal) the OT identifies the individual’s functional strengths and limitations. The OT’s utilize group and individualized programming to observe the individual’s cognitive, physical, emotional and sensory needs. Once the individual is discharged, the OT department remains available to offer consultation if necessary, in addition to a structured follow-up meeting process.

The role of the behaviourist is to assess behaviours of concern to improve understanding of these behaviours, and provide recommendations to assist with limiting behaviours, positively supporting the behaviours, and compiling safety plans. The behavioural approach used at PAC is The Mandt System® – a trauma-informed, positive-behaviour support model.

The nurses on the floor distribute all medications and monitor clients for potential side effects throughout their admission. In addition they help implement unique safety plans for each client as well as become part of the client’s care team and establish relationship with the clients offering them support and guidance when needed.

The Mental Health Support Workers are active participants within a multidisciplinary team model. They provide input with respect to assessment, development, activation and evaluation of behavioural support plans and programs. They direct and structure activities and programming and are active participants in teaching and supporting individuals in psychosocial, life and personal care skills. These skill levels are supported by their continuous application through role modelling, program solving and follow up.

The Registered Dietitian Consultant completes a full nutritional assessment on individuals on admission, provides therapeutic diets as required and monitoring of nutritional status throughout stay and guidelines on discharge.

The music therapist works on the clinical team specifically using the elements of music and the experience of active music making with therapeutic intent in an assessment process to develop treatment protocols that can be used in the community to support residents’ health and well-being upon discharge.

The art therapist (AT) uses multiple art and expressive therapy techniques to assess the client in their ability to express themselves emotionally. The AT offers many types of art making materials as well as horticultural programming to create opportunity for client growth in their confidence, self-image and or self-esteem. The creative process can sometimes give people a voice who do not have the words to express themselves and create a bridge for communication.

The three-person administrative team plays an important role in day-to-day operations of PAC. Although this group may work behind the scenes, many of the responsibilities they carry out are essential pieces in operating PAC efficiently.