New Youth Mental Health Pod Opens at Vernon Jubilee Hospital

Responding to the demand for youth mental health services in our community

VERNON, BC — A new Youth Mental Health Pod opened at Vernon Jubilee Hospital on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, to meet the growing need for safe, effective and age-appropriate acute mental health services for youth in the North Okanagan between the ages of 12 and 18.

 “We’ve learned so much about the critical components for effective care: we now know that the environment shapes outcomes,” says Megan Thorne, director of clinical operations, North Okanagan. “By providing a safe, therapeutic environment with consistent, trauma-informed support we can provide the compassionate and comprehensive services our youth need.”

 The new unit has six individual rooms. An essential piece is specially trained nurses with a passion for mental health, and a low patient-to-nurse ratio, allowing them to spend more time with each patient. A group area allows patients to engage in programming – a critical component to developing psycho-socialization skills and creating a sense of belonging. The rooms are specially designed for patient safety, including shatter-proof glass, weighted furniture, and anti-ligature measures.

“It’s early days yet,” says Megan Thorne, “but we’re already seeing our patients stabilizing more quickly and getting them back home. One of the goals was to reduce readmission rates and smooth transitions back into the community.”

She also notes how important it is to build trust with patients and families coming to the hospital, often during an emergency with a distressed child. The first intervention is critical to a patient’s long-term trajectory because it directly impacts their ability to feel safe and engage with the services that have the highest impact on their care. Prior to the Youth Mental Health Pod opening, youth received treatment in Emergency and the Women’s and Children’s Department.

“We’re incredibly grateful to donors who choose ‘area of greatest need’ when they give,” says Kate McBrearty, executive director of VJH Foundation. “This trust enables us to respond quickly to emergent needs. We were delighted to help bring the vision of this youth mental health pod to life. We’re also delighted to partner with the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Auxiliary on this project.”

The specially renovated youth pod cost $235,000 and was funded by $192,000 from community donations through the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation and $43,000 from the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Auxiliary.

“Thank you to the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation, the Hospital Auxiliary and their generous donors who have helped make the new youth mental health pod a reality. The youth pod will improve care for young people with mental health and substance use challenges, benefit new mothers receiving care in the hospital’s maternity ward, and benefit recruitment by allowing staff in both units to work in the area where they specialize,” says Chris Simms, executive director, clinical operations, North Okanagan.