NIHU Teams on the Move: What Does Each Team Do?

To make way for the new acute care tower at UHNBC, we're relocating the services currently offered at the Northern Interior Health Unit (NIHU) starting Spring 2026. Discover what each team does and where they're headed below! ⬇️

📍Future Location: China Cup Buffet unit

Specialized Counselling and Consultation (Adults)

➡️ Mental Health Rehabilitation Team: This team helps people with mental health conditions through medical treatment, therapy, social support, and skill-building. They aim to improve overall well-being and help individuals become more independent.

➡️ Community Acute Stabilization Team: This team provides quick, intensive support for adults in severe mental health or addiction crises. They offer treatments and social support to stabilize individuals and prevent hospitalization.

➡️ Community Outreach & Assertive Services Team: This team supports adults with ongoing mental health or addiction issues. They provide community-based mental health and life skills support to promote stability and recovery.

➡️ Adult Addictions Day Treatment Program: This team helps adults with addiction issues through daily support and therapy. The program focuses on recovery, counseling, and life skills training to promote long-term health and well-being.

📍Future Location: The Bay (Second Floor)

Interprofessional Community Teams (IPTs)

These teams provide comprehensive, patient-centered care for adults aged 19 and over dealing with frailty, chronic diseases, or mental health and addiction issues. The team from John G. Mackenzie Family Practice Centre will join IPT3 on the second floor of The Bay to improve patient care and teamwork.

Preventative and Public Health Team

This team promotes and protects the health of individuals, families, schools, and communities. They offer health screenings, education, disease prevention, and universal healthcare services, including prenatal and postpartum support, child immunizations, school-based services, sexual health services, and disease prevention.

Child and Youth Services

➡️ Speech/Language Clinics: The Speech and Language Program partners with families and community organizations to support children with communication needs from birth to kindergarten. Our team enhances speech clarity, fluency, hearing, language, social communication, alternative communication methods, pre-literacy skills, and feeding. The team also assists children at risk for developmental delays, neurodivergent children (e.g., Autism, ADHD), and any child needing support.

➡️ Northern Health Assessment Network: This is a provincial program in Northern BC that provides diagnostic assessments for children and youth (ages 0-18) suspected of having autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other neurodevelopmental conditions.

Communication Assistance for Youth and Adults

CAYA supports adults aged 19 and older with severe communication disabilities. They provide augmentative/alternative communication (AAC) systems and professional support to help individuals live their best adult lives.

We appreciate your support as we work through this transition together. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below!