Who We Are
Elizabeth House is a treatment centre that offers a continuum of intervention and support services to families with children aged 0-5 years. Elizabeth House works primarily with young mothers and mothers-to-be who are experiencing serious difficulties adjusting to pregnancy or their role as parents. The approach to treatment is educational and therapeutic, focusing on the needs, and building upon the strengths, of the individual.
Services are provided to mothers and families through residential and external programs. Interventions focus mainly on the acquisition of parenting skills and life skills. Elizabeth House is equally concerned with optimizing children’s development and facilitating the development of a long-term or permanent plan for each child.
Services are designed to serve the English-speaking community in Quebec and are generally offered in the greater Montreal area. Elizabeth House is funded through the Ministry of Health and Social services but relies on private donations to support programs and activities.
Vision, Mission and Values
Our vision is a world where children are safe, secure and loved and where parents are supported and empowered so that they all have the opportunity to develop to their full potential.
Our mission is to positively impact the lives of young children whose parents require intensive support and intervention to improve their capacity to parent.
Our values – As an organization, Elizabeth House is committed to:
Integrity
- in respect for all
- in embracing diversity
- in effective communication
- in our commitment to accountability and transparency
- in our ethical practices
Excellence
- in compassionate, professional care and service
- in quality of service and risk management
- in management and decision making
- in promoting teamwork and encouraging leadership
- in fostering a learning environment and the continuation of education
Innovation
in responding to the evolving needs of young families and changes in society
in developing and disseminating best practices
in creating and evaluating new knowledge
in embracing the reality of change
Collaboration and Partnership
- in working with young parents and their families throughout the rehabilitation process
- in supporting transitions of care and service
- in valuing the contribution of our staff and volunteers
- in building knowledge and capabilities
- in all our relationships
Vision, Mission and Values approved by the Elizabeth House Board of Directors on September 29, 2014.
Elizabeth House is committed to a proactive and integrated approach to risk management, in particular to client safety, and to quality improvement that is rooted in the organization’s strategic, operational and project-related objectives and practices.
Elizabeth House receives core funding from the Ministry of Health and Social Services. However, we depend on donations to be able to provide a full range of services, programs and activities to young mothers, fathers and their children to help them develop to their full capacity and to help young families successfully integrate into the community.
We are not a youth protection agency (we are not part of Batshaw Youth and Family Centres or Centres Jeunesse) nor are we part of a CLSC. We do, however, work with these organizations among others to address the needs of young parents and children whose security or development is compromised.
History
Elizabeth House has been helping pregnant women and families for 45 years. It was established by several churches in the late 1960’s in response to the needs of pregnant teens and young women who planned to give their baby up for adoption shortly after birth and return to live in relatively stable and secure home environments.
The 1970’s saw the beginning of the reorganization and integration of health and social services. Elizabeth House was included in these reforms and the oversight of its governance passed from the churches to the Ministry of Social Affairs.
Most of the young women who come to Elizabeth House today have already decided that they want to parent their child. They are loving parents who are struggling to balance the responsibilities of parenthood with their needs as adolescents or young adults. Elizabeth House continues to provide a caring supportive environment where they can learn the skills they need to grow and succeed as parents and as individuals.
Elizabeth House continues to provide a caring supportive environment where they can learn the skills they need to grow and succeed as parents and as individuals.
Partnerships
Elizabeth House works collaboratively and in formal partnership with other organizations in the Health and Social Service network and the Montreal community to ensure a range of complementary services for our clients, to promote clear and on-going communication among treating professionals and to ease the transfer of clients between organizations. We continue to prioritize transparent and timely communication amongst our partners and all organizations and professionals with whom we work.
Management Team
Linda Schachtler – Executive Director
linda.schachtler.elizabeth@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
Tina Pallotta – Program Manager – Clinical Services
tina.pallotta.elizabeth@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
Joanna Giammaria – Coordinator, Administrative & Auxiliary Services
joanna.giammaria.elizabeth@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
Board
Cerise Morris- President
Howard Nadler – Vice-President
Claude David -Treasurer
Sandra Sinclair – Secretary
Cristina Birks – Member
Jane Bracewell – Member
Nooshin Maleki – Member
Donna Varrica – Member
Linda Schachtler – Elizabeth House Executive Director
Annual Report
Download the 2015-2016 Annual Report
Download the 2014-2015 Annual Report
Download the 2013-2014 Annual Report Part 1
Download the 2013-2014 Annual Report Part 2
Download the 2012-2013 Annual Report
Accreditation
Elizabeth House is accredited by Accreditation Canada, meeting or exceeding national standards of excellence in high-quality care in health and social services.
