Annual Report 2021 – 2022
Message from the Board Chair and CEO
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” ~ Marcel Proust
The challenges of this last year have forced us to look at everything differently and in so doing allowed us to discover opportunities we never would have without being forced into that “corner” we call Covid 19. Navigating school closures, moving back and forth from virtual to in person treatment, and accessing space to treat kids in-Centre, PPE and vaccines was demanding and it would be neglectful not acknowledge the toll that it took on all of us. Now more than ever we have to address our mental health and the mental health of those we serve. Kindness, compassion, and understanding is needed when factors outside of our control impact us.
This was the final year of our 2019-2022 strategic plan and our strategic goals of Helping More Kids in More Ways, Lead the Way Through Innovation, Improve Outcomes for Children and Youth, and Increase Awareness of the Critical Services We Provide Kids and Families.
1Helping More Kids in More Ways
Five Counties served 5,588 children this year! This was 1,182 more kids than our previous year and it was a 28% increase from our highest total of kids served pre-pandemic. This was done in large part by staff being flexible and serving each child and family in the best venue for them, whether that was virtual or in person.
The roll out of new programs had a significant impact in the lives of our families. The introduction in the fall of Privately Purchased Services in Northumberland was very well received. Families were thankful to have opportunities to receive services sooner and utilize their benefits through the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) or their personal benefits program.
Five Counties also was awarded the Urgent Response Services program at the end of the fiscal year. This program provides the facilitation of wrap around services for families in the Ontario Autism Program in crisis. This 12-week program will help stabilize the urgent needs and facilitate the necessary supports to help the families long-term.
We are grateful to our staff for their remarkable adaptability when providing services to kids in-Centre. With our new programs came an increase in staff to service the programs, increasing the number of people in already tight spaces. Rising once again to the challenge, clinicians found creative ways to share office and therapy spaces and made great use of our Blue Green Therapy Garden in Peterborough and our newly re-landscaped backyard in Lindsay. We’re excited to share planning is well underway for an outdoor treatment space at our Cobourg site.
2Lead the Way Through Innovation
Five Counties is leading the province’s push to modernize our Electronic Health Record practices. These changes will give families so many new ways to engage in their child’s regarding their child’s progress between sessions.
The Electronic Health Record was not the only modernization that Five Counties undertook this year. We saw dramatic improvement in our communication systems from mobile, Wi-Fi and in-Centre phones as well as our security system enhancements at all our sites. This was a tremendous amount of work, and it ensures that the Centre will be able to meet the future communication needs for years to come.
Five Counties also maximized all our funding resources to improve our access to state-of-the-art equipment in the Augmentative Communication Services program and our Botox Clinic.
3Improve Outcomes for Children and Youth
This fiscal year, after 10 years of flat funding from the provincial government, Five Counties received 1.48 million dollars in new funding to address wait-lists and create a centralized point for families to access care. Five Counties helped lead the way by becoming an early adopter of the new SmartStart Hub. These Hubs are intended to provide support to families and providers that have concerns or questions about their children’s developmental needs.
This year we launched our Building Abilities for Life Campaign to raise funds to improve access to Speech and Language services. Our small but mighty fund development team alongside staff and leaders could be seen all around the Five Counties’ catchment area promoting the great work of the Centre.
Five Counties also continues to be a developmental expert in the lives of children. We had an increased presence in all areas of media, providing insight into the challenges children are facing during the pandemic, as well as sharing the story of Five Counties to raise awareness.
While in the midst of a pandemic, where many organizations are just trying to weather the storm, Five Counties thrived! We approached each challenge as an opportunity and looked for ways to innovate and keep meeting the needs of our kids and families.
4Increase Awareness of the Critical Services We Provide to Kids and Families
This fiscal year, after 10 years of flat funding from the provincial government, Five Counties received 1.48 million dollars in new funding to address wait-lists and create a centralized point for families to access care. Five Counties helped lead the way by becoming an early adopter of the new SmartStart Hub. These Hubs are intended to provide support to families and providers that have concerns or questions about their children’s developmental needs.
This year we launched our Building Abilities for Life Campaign to raise funds to improve access to Speech and Language services. Our small but mighty fund development team alongside staff and leaders could be seen all around the Five Counties’ catchment area promoting the great work of the Centre.
Five Counties also continues to be a developmental expert in the lives of children. We had an increased presence in all areas of media, providing insight into the challenges children are facing during the pandemic, as well as sharing the story of Five Counties to raise awareness.
While in the midst of a pandemic, where many organizations are just trying to weather the storm, Five Counties thrived! We approached each challenge as an opportunity and looked for ways to innovate and keep meeting the needs of our kids and families.
Clients served by region:
Clients served by region
2,772 in Peterborough
1,505 in Northumberland
1,176 in City of Kawartha Lakes
198 Other Regions
School Based Rehab Services
School Based Rehab Services
2,489 Occupational Services
1,091 Speech Services
234 Physiotherapy
9 22+ years old
Community Based Services:
1806 Speech Services
1250 Occupational Services
894 Physiotherapy
478 Social Work
176 ACS
96 Rec Therapy
Clients served by age:
Clients served by age
1,410 infant-4 years old
3,917 5-12 years old
252 13-21 years old
9 22+ years old
We served 2,702 clients through Virtual Services
543 Speech Services
305 Occupational Therapy
183 Physiotherapy
120 Resource Consultation Services
124 Social Work
58 Recreation Therapy
429 School Based Rehab Speech Services
316 School Based Rehab Occupational Therapy
33 School Based Rehab Physiotherapy
“I don’t know what we would do without our team of support. We’re so grateful for the dedication and care of the Five Counties Children’s Centre staff.” ~ Five Counties’ Parent
Meet Alexa
Alexa is a fun loving five-year-old who likes to play with her dog, Marino
To all of our Volunteers and Donors
Fundraising in the communities we serve means we can better meet the diverse and growing needs of the children and families who come to us for help. We send our thanks to all the caring individuals, businesses and organizations whose contributions changed lives and made so much possible this past year. You helped Five Counties’ kids communicate, learn, move, play, and connect in ways their families never thought possible during one of our world’s most challenging periods.
The generosity of our supporters, donors and volunteers made the continued care of the children receiving therapy at Five Counties and their families an essential priority when determining where to invest their resources in our communities. Whether you are a long time or first-time supporter, we want to say a big thank you to all those in our caring community who continue to believe in making a difference in the lives of kids in need. Your resilience helped keep kids in treatment when they needed it most.
One of those children you helped is Alexa. Before she was even born, Alexa’s parents Justin and Ashley were given her diagnosis of Down Syndrome. They couldn’t imagine what it would be like if Five Counties weren’t located so close to their home. From feeding supports when she was a baby, learning to walk, enhancing her communication skills, and loaning out equipment to help with mobility and balance, Five Counties has played a role in helping Alexa become who she is today.
“Alexa can sometimes be left off to the side and that’s really hard to watch. She’s happy to play by herself but many times I wonder if she knows. That’s one of the hardest things to see,” says Ashley. Justin echoes these feelings when explaining that one of the long-term goals for Alexa is to be able to communicate with clerks at a grocery store. Although it may seem like a simple task, it means independence for Alexa and peace of mind for her parents.
“We’re grateful they’re local and we haven’t had to leave town to get these services. If there was no Five Counties, it would be so much harder. You walk through the doors and everything you need is there.”
Together with our supporters, we can ensure the over 4,400 children and families we serve in Peterborough, Northumberland, City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton and Minden continue to receive the best care possible when they need it the most
and to build their abilities for life. Thank you for giving so generously to the kids at Five Counties Children’s Centre.