Infrastructure renewal project

Sixty per cent of the Institute's buildings were constructed between 1889 and 1940, when the Institute served as an asylum. The configuration from this time no longer corresponds to the needs of modern psychiatric care or the Institute’s new mandate. A solution must be found to maintain excellence in care, research and teaching and to provide better working conditions for our employees.

Improved living conditions for patient

The Douglas Institute has more than 30 buildings dispersed across a 165-acre campus. This layout poses a serious obstacle to the improvement of living conditions for patients and to the integration of care, research and teaching—an essential condition for a 21st-century university institute.

The Douglas has been thinking about what to do with its aging buildings for a number of years now. After considering many options and carrying out various renovation and repair projects, the time has come to embark on a large-scale infrastructure renewal project.

Keeping in line with trends and best practices in design and architecture

The Institute has involved internationally-renowned experts to participate in this process:

Roger Ulrich, PhD, from the Texas A&M University (USA). Professor Ulrich is part of the leading edge healing environment movement, a school of thought that examines how our physical structures can help provide better care for patients and better working conditions for employees. These environments are often referred to as "healing environments". His principles have been applied in many health care facilities around the world, including several in Montreal and other parts of Canada.

This particular type of architectural design, "evidence-based design", is based on studies and research conducted with different groups (patients, employees, families, etc.) and that has led to the establishment of "best practices" in architecture for health centres.

Frank Pitts is a specialist in design of behavioural healthcare facilities for special populations, long term care, and secure institutions. Frank Pitts is the founding partner and President of architecture +. He has been involved in many projects similar as the Institute’s, here in Montreal and in other Canadian cities.

Project philosophy

The Douglas Institute promotes excellence and innovation founded on commitment, collaboration and education. With this philosophy in mind, the Douglas is committed to carrying out this innovative project in collaboration with its internal, external, community, university and international partners.

Always striving for innovation, the Douglas would like to become the first mental health institute in Quebec that is constructed according to best architectural practices and that provides an environment where excellence in care, research and teaching is acknowledged and held up as an example around the world.

Documentation

Prefeasibility Study Executive summary

The Project team

The team responsible for the infrastructure renewal project began holding sessions with various groups that will be affected (staff members, patients, community mental health partners, government representatives) to inform them of the Institute's current state and to get their comments and opinions.

The team is composed of :

  • Ronald Sehn, Technical Services Director and Project Manager
  • Jacques Hendlisz, Director General
  • Nicole Germain, Assistant to the Director General
  • Hélène Racine, Director of Nursing, Quality and Risk Management
  • Renée Sauriol, Director of communications and public affairs

Many contributors have been involved in the prefeasibility study development process:

An advisory committee involved on a regular basis throughout the process, mainly to share its view of the report:

  • Jacques Hendlisz, Director General
  • Samuel Benaroya, MD, Associate Dean, Interhospital Affairs, McGill University and McGill RUIS Coordinator
  • Mimi Israë, MD, Douglas Psychiatrist-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry , McGill University
  • Hélène Racine, Director of Nursing, Quality and Risk Management
  • Ronald Sehn, Technical Services Director and Infrastructure Renewal Project Manager
  • Jean-Bernard Trudeau, MD, Director, Professional and Hospital Services and Interim Co-Director of Clinical Activities, Knowledge Transfer and Teaching
  • Amparo Garcia, Clinical-Administrative Director of Clinical Activities, Knowledge Transfer and Teaching
  • Jocelyne Lahoud, Administrative Director, Douglas Research Centre
  • Nicole Germain, Assistant to the Director General
  • Kimberly Eyquem, Communications Consultant, Responsible for the Infrastructure Renewal Project

70 Douglas staff members, divided in six groups, have participated in the consultation process:

  • 1st Group: Programs: Adult Mental Health / Mood, Anxiety and Impulsivity Disorders
  • 2nd Group: Programs: Child Psychiatry, Eating Disorders
  • 3rd Group: Programs: Geriatric Psychiatry, Recovery
  • 4th Group: Programs: Psychotic Disorders, Intellectual Handicap with Psychiatric Comorbidity
  • 5th Group: Teaching
  • 6th Group: Research

Other Groups Consulted :

  • Table des organismes communautaires en santé mentale (TOCSM)
  • Users Panel
  • Conseil des infirmiers et infirmières du Douglas (CII)
  • Clinical Focus Group
  • Research Focus Group
  • Administrative Staff Focus Group