1 - Interdisciplinary Women’s Health Centre Feasibility Study

INTRODUCTION

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver (EFry) is seeking qualified consultants to prepare a feasibility study (Study) regarding the development of an interdisciplinary health centre for high needs women and children, located at 9683 – 137th St, Surrey, also known as Innovation Boulevard a special economic zone for involving business, Simon Fraser University and the City focused on medical devices, independent living and digital health. Surrey has a rapid growth rate and is forecast to eclipse Vancouver’s by 2030. As such, the location is unique and will grow over time. A profile of the Local Health Authority Demographics is available at www. communityhealth.phsa.ca/HealthProfiles/PdfGenerator/Surrey which details that on average the Local Health Authority has less than half the number of available health practitioners per 100,000 residents when compared to the BC average while having a diverse population with a higher than life expectancy and average income coupled with lower levels of education and training and lower levels of unemployment than the provincial average.

The proposed medical centre will be housed within a five-storey 57,000 square foot building scheduled for completion in spring 2022. Located on the first floor, the planned health centre will feature a small pharmacy; five consulting rooms, of which two will be used for videoconference or in-person meetings with ancillary health care professionals; a three-chair full-service dental clinic; reception services, and counselling space. Also located on the ground floor will be a mother-child hub and daycare with amenity space. The second floor will house two 20-bed shelters, one for single women and one for women & children. The remaining three floors will offer 57 ultra-affordable apartments for women with annual incomes under $25,000.

The building is the vision of EFry, who will operate it and the services within the building (with the exception of fifteen units for Indigenous young women operated by our partner the Fraser Regional Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association).

For purposes of this Study, the population to be served is low income women and children without regular ongoing medical care, who have needs characterized by the impact of poverty and addiction. 

WHO WE ARE

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver (EFry) is the Fraser Region’s largest provider of women-only services relating to substance use and homelessness. The majority of EFry programs are located in Surrey and include homeless shelters, substance use treatment for single or pregnant women or moms with newborns, and children affected by parental homelessness, incarceration or substance use.

EFry was founded in 1939. Our mission is to serve women, girls and children at risk, involved in or affected by the justice system. Our more than three dozen programs address the impacts of homelessness, substance use, mental illness and legal system involvement. Surrey has BC’s busiest court for women charged with offenses and is the community to which they return after exiting prison (two-thirds are moms, and two-thirds of those sole caregivers). Surrey is BC's second largest city and 61% of the population is Aboriginal or a "visible minority"(2016 Census). Surrey has BC's largest Aboriginal population under 25 years old has one-of-the-four highest concentrations of BC child poverty and the greatest number of children by census tracts (2020 Child Poverty Report Card). BC's Early Development Instrument states 49% of kids in the area lack school readiness. The community ties with the South Granville area in having the highest concentration of supportive assisted living and residential care facilities in the Lower Mainland, resulting in a concentration of the aged and those with addictions and concurrent disorders. 
 
GOALS

1. To complete a health services gap analysis in our community’s current health delivery system.
2. To determine if and/or how a centralized medical centre delivering multidisciplinary services will assist addressing service gaps or increasing the efficiency of the current system.
3. To determine the potential health services, assess service delivery participants’ interest, and the feasibility of providing a central health service delivery model.
4. To determine if a project of this nature can attract private sector investment for operation or alternate models for operations including public funding.
5. To recommend a health care provider model and operating budget.
6. To explore current health care funding programs that may assist in health centre development.

1. Inventory of current issues affecting health care service delivery for women and children in the community.
2. Inventory and assessment of the community’s current health care service delivery model’s ability to meet current and future needs.
3. Comparison of the current service levels against any available provincial and/or national service benchmarks.
4. Provide assessment of the value-add of an interdisciplinary health centre building on Surrey’s Innovation Boulevard and its location to the Surrey Memorial Hospital.
5. Provide examples of similar working models.
6. Provide a summary of public funding sources for this project and an analysis of private sector, donor investment or public investment with any cost recovery schedule.

1. Names of principal company and any sub-consultants;
2. Names and resumes of project leader and any other team members who would be assigned to the project;
3. Applicable company and staff experience with only similar projects (maximum 3) and client references (maximum 3);
4. Proposed methodological approach to this project;
5. Scheduling and detailing of work activities with allocated hours for each involved staff member;
6. Hourly fees of staff dedicated to this project and any other remunerations or other expenses including all taxes;
7. Summary of receivables including presentational materials in one (1) electronic copy; and
8. Availability to start and complete contract.