Children and youth in alternate care, such as foster, kinship, or group homes, face complex and often lifelong challenges related to trauma, neglect, and disrupted development. Newfoundland and Labrador has one of the highest rates of children and youth in alternate care in Canada, with 13.99 per 1,000 children compared to the national average of 8.24.
With this new investment from the Northpine Foundation, the clinic will expand its capacity to meet the urgent need for comprehensive, specialized care for this high-risk population.
“We know from research and experience that the brain and body can heal from trauma with the right support,” said Dr. Sandra Luscombe, Developmental Pediatrician at the CAYAC Clinic. “Thanks to this donation, we’ll have the resources to provide that support more broadly, more effectively, and more compassionately.”
A study of the clinic’s first 100+ patients found these children face complex health needs, including a high prevalence of behavioral difficulties (45.6%), ADHD (43.7%), sleep difficulties (60.7%), and nutritional and gastrointestinal issues (37.9%). Most of the children had experienced multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences, such as emotional abuse or neglect, resulting in emotional dysregulation, difficulty in forming relationships, and long-term health risks.
“Northpine Foundation invested in CAYAC because we believe the care and interventions delivered by this exceptional team of dedicated health professionals have a profound and lasting impact on the lives of young people,” said Mark Lane, Impact Director for Newfoundland and Labrador at Northpine Foundation. “This investment reflects our deep commitment to reducing healthcare disparities and supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
“The Northpine Foundation’s generosity is transformational,” said Dr. Leigh Anne Allwood Newhook, Pediatrician at the CAYAC Clinic. “It allows us to expand our reach, provide more trauma-informed, coordinated care, and ensure children and youth in care don’t fall through the cracks. This clinic is a place where children and youth feel safe, heard, and seen – and now we can offer that support to even more of them, creating lasting impact.”
The investment will help the clinic achieve key goals, including increasing school attendance and decreasing emergency healthcare usage over the next three years for 600 children and youth.
“This strategic investment from the Northpine Foundation demonstrates the true power of philanthropy to change lives,” said Rebecca Dutton, President & CEO of the Janeway Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Their support will enhance and expand care and have a lifelong impact on the children, youth, and families supported by the CAYAC Clinic. It’s through meaningful partnerships like this that we can break cycles and build a brighter, healthier future for some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”
About the Northpine Foundation
Among Canada’s most contributing private philanthropic organizations, the Northpine Foundation works with a vision to propel outcome-centered innovation in Canada. Northpine provides catalytic funding through tailored financing (donations, grants, loans, equity, or blend), along with expertise, networks and other non-financial supports to help underinvested and underserved communities thrive and flourish. With a focus on this core value, the Northpine Foundation designs, funds, and collaborates on ventures that combine best practices with new, untried approaches to drive scalable change towards a thriving Canada. The Northpine Foundation is funded by John and Cathy Phillips.
About the CAYAC Clinic
The CAYAC (Children and Youth in Alternate Care) Clinic, located at the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre, is a multiagency, multidisciplinary clinic that serves as a medical home for children and youth under 18 who are in alternate care arrangements, such as foster, kinship, or group homes. The clinic addresses the complex physical, developmental, and mental health needs of high-risk children and youth, many of whom have experienced trauma and adverse childhood experiences. It provides coordinated, continuous care and ensures up-to-date medical histories while helping caregivers and professionals navigate support systems. The team includes pediatricians, a social worker, an occupational therapist, a speech-language pathologist, and a dietitian, with plans to expand to include additional healthcare providers. The clinic works closely with caregivers, social workers, and other professionals to support the well-being of each child and youth. A video about the CAYAC Clinic is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK5szrqIclI
