BAOHT Partner Bulletin

Stay informed and connected with us! Committed to supporting patients, families, caregivers, and health partners, we provide the latest insights, resources, and community highlights.

Connect. Collaborate. Grow – A Successful 2025 All-Partners Event!

On Wednesday, June 18, the Barrie and Area Ontario Health Team (BAOHT) hosted its All-Partners event, welcoming close to 50 partners from across the OHT.

The afternoon was filled with meaningful discussion, active participation and valuable relationship-building. Many attendees shared how impactful it was to have dedicated time for in-person collaboration, and feedback on the day was overwhelmingly positive.

A special thank you to our dynamic and engaging facilitator, Mo McKenna, whose energy, insight and expert guidance kept the afternoon running smoothly—and on time! Mo’s ability to spark conversation and keep everyone focused helped make the day both productive and enjoyable.

We will review the outcomes from the event and begin turning ideas into actionable items. These will be brought back to key groups, including the Executive Committee and Primary Care Network Executive, for further discussion and implementation.

To all those who took time out of their busy schedules to be there, it was your presence and engagement that made the day a great success. We look forward to seeing the outcomes from this event take shape within our OHT!

Partners Celebrate the Launch of The HART of Simcoe County

On June 26 we celebrated the launch of The HART of Simcoe County—a collaborative, regional program supporting individuals facing homelessness and addiction, as well as Indigenous-specific services.

This local HART Hub is made possible thanks to strong partnerships and commitment from Barrie Native Friendship Centre, Canadian Mental Health Association – Simcoe County Branch (CMHA SCB), County of Simcoe, Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin IIPCT/ Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC), Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), and Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.

To read the County of Simcoe’s joint press release, click here.

Upcoming Indigenous Cultural Safety Training Opportunities – Reserve Your Spot Today

Sharing on behalf of Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin and Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle

As part of our ongoing commitment to advancing Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) and fostering equitable, culturally safe care, we’re pleased to share several upcoming training opportunities available to BAOHT partners at no cost.

The following sessions are being offered through the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC) and align with the KTA-ICS Framework to support capacity-building across our system:

Rama Gdaankoobijiganaanig Experiential 2-Day Training

An immersive experience held at the Rama Training Centre on Rama First Nation, offering participants the opportunity to engage in ceremony, community and Indigenous ways of knowing. Includes meals and a virtual debrief.

Available Dates:

• August 14–15 (2 spaces)
• October 9–10 (5 spaces)
• November 13–14 (16 spaces)

1-Day Rama Training – A condensed training option held July 24 with 5 spaces available.

These sessions are a powerful step forward in our collective journey to provide safer, more inclusive care. If you or your team members are interested in participating, please provide the name, email, position and organization of each participant to Melissa Keown at KeownM@baoht.ca. Spots are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Barrie and Area OHT Partners Come Together to Support Evacuated Residents

When Barrie welcomed members of the Webequie First Nation following a community evacuation due to fires, BAOHT partners came together to support the health care needs of the incoming community members. The collaboration, dedication, expertise and resources contributed by all were instrumental in ensuring appropriate care was provided during this critical time.

More recently, members of the Sandy Lake First Nation have also arrived in Barrie following an evacuation from their community. Once again, BAOHT partners are working together to ensure culturally safe, timely care and support is in place. Thank you to all partners involved, including: Barrie and Community Family Health Team; Barrie Community Health Centre; Barrie Family Medicine Teaching Unit; Barrie Native Friendship Centre; Canadian Mental Health Association – Simcoe County Branch; County of Simcoe; Ontario Health atHome; Huronia Urgent Care Clinic; Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin; Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre; and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit

Geriatric Services Conference

Last week, many partners — including members of the BAOHT Operations Team — had the opportunity to attend the North Simcoe Muskoka Specialized Geriatric Services Conference. The sessions offered valuable insights and inspired new ways to strengthen collaboration across organizations to enhance care experiences for older adults in our community. Hosted in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society and Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, the conference brought together health and community care providers under the theme of ‘Advancing Care of Older Adults’.

Dr. Andrea Devrome Recognized with RVH Board of Directors Award of Excellence

At a special ceremony held at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), Dr. Andrea Devrome, Vascular Surgeon and Physician Lead with the BAOHT’s Lower-Limb Preservation Integrated Care Program, was awarded an RVH Board of Directors Award of Excellence for Excellence in Care (Professional Staff).

These prestigious Board Awards celebrate staff and professional staff at RVH whose exceptional contributions have made a significant impact on patients, colleagues and the organization itself.

“Dr. Devrome consistently goes above and beyond in caring for patients with challenging conditions,” says Lisa Rhodenizer, Project Management Lead, Barrie and Area OHT. “She brings a clear and compelling vision for the future of lower-limb preservation in Barrie and the surrounding area, and isn’t afraid to lead bold, forward-thinking conversations to help shape and advance this field.”

Dr. Devrome has been an invaluable mentor to the staff in the Good Foot Forward program, consistently making herself available to share her expertise and guide decisions on when to escalate cases to Vascular Surgery or other specialized services. She fosters a culture of excellence by actively promoting best practices in lower-limb preservation among her professional peers. Widely respected for her knowledge and approachability, Dr. Devrome is a trusted resource and a go-to advisor for clinical guidance.

Congratulations to Dr. Devrome on this well-deserved recognition!

Local Partners Explore Better Care for People Experiencing Homelessness
Submitted by Hospice Simcoe and Seasons Centre

On June 23, 85 health and community services partners (including volunteers) gathered at the MacLaren Art Centre for a conversation about providing health care to street-involved folks in our communities. With representation from over 25 organizations, primarily from Barrie and South Georgian Bay, the goals articulated by participants were to gain awareness of existing work and issues, to collaborate and network about potential opportunities, and to acquire skills or knowledge on how to support patients effectively.

The foundation of the day was set with the TEDx talk “What’s a life worth” by Dr. Naheed Dosani, MD (founder of the Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless (PEACH) program in Toronto), where it’s argued that, since experiencing homelessness reduces a person’s life expectancy in half (from 77-80 years to 42-52 years old), this particular patient population would benefit from a palliative approach to care; An approach which honours communication, collaboration and holistic pain and symptom management across care settings.

A panel conversation featuring Emily Dampier-Heins (Mamaway Wiidokdaddwin), Sarah Tilley (Gilbert Centre for Social & Support Services), Sara Peddle (Busby Centre), and Tracy Wood (Elizabeth Fry Society of Simcoe Muskoka) highlighted the experiences of those providing frontline care to individuals experiencing homelessness. These stories illustrated gaps in care and the residual grief (in all its forms) impacting the community. The remainder of the day focused on collective conversations about gaps, challenges, opportunities, and how to move forward in alignment towards change. For more information about the event and next steps, please visit: https://sites.google.com/amypritzker.com/street-health-symposium/home

Equity, Inclusion, Diversity & Anti-Racism (EIDA-R) Working Group Education Spotlight

Each month, we will spotlight a specific equity-deserving group and share educational resources to help providers offer more informed, inclusive, and supportive care

In June we recognized National Indigenous History Month in Canada as a time to honour the history, heritage, resilience, and diversity of First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Urban Indigenous communities.

To support learning and awareness, a variety of educational resources are available that explore Indigenous cultures, languages, traditions, and experiences. These resources aim to foster deeper understanding, respect, and reconciliation by centering Indigenous voices and knowledge in the learning journey. To view the list of resources and learning opportunities that you can share with your team related to supporting Black and Racialized communities, visit the Provider Resource page on our website.

County creates new Assertive Street Outreach Program for adults and youth living unhoused
Sharing on behalf of Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care

The County’s new Assertive Street Outreach Program engages and supports individuals and families who are living without stable housing, including those in encampments and those at imminent risk of homelessness with the goal of securing long-term, sustainable housing.

After initiating a Request for Proposals, a consortium led by Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care has been selected to oversee and operate Regional Assertive Street Outreach Program for The County of Simcoe. The consortium includes valuable community partners who have a deep understanding of the issues surrounding homelessness and knowledge and experience in working in the field including:

• Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care
• Busby
• Lighthouse
• Home Horizon
• Youth Haven
• S.H.I.F.T. (Support and Hope for Individuals and Families Today)

To view the joint release from County of Simcoe, click here.

Do you have News, Events or Updates you’d like us to share with our community?
Send us the details and we’ll include in the next BAOHT Bulletin. Contact us at info@baoht.ca