Maternal/Infant Post Partum follow up

Mothers who give birth in a hospital will receive a phone call from a public health nurse within 24-48 hours after discharge from hospital. A voluntary home visit is offered to all families, additional follow up as required. Public Health Nurses can provide breastfeeding support, maternal/infant assessment and education for postpartum families.
Mothers who receive care from a midwife will receive care in the first few days from their midwife and will be contacted  by a public health nurse within six weeks. 
If you are not contacted, you can find your local health unit and give them a call. 
For additional information on caring for yourself and your baby, visit our parenting website.

To see other community health services that are available for you and your child visit vch.ca.

Parent-Infant Drop-In (Healthy Babies Drop-In) - Powell River Community Health Centre

We provide new parents with the chance to connect with and get support from other parents and health care professionals to discuss infant feeding, growth and development, nutrition, safety and adjustment to parenthood. 

Each session is facilitated by a public health nurse or another health care expert such as a community dental hygienist. Some of the topics for discussion may include:

• breastfeeding
• nutrition
• immunization
• safety
• dental care
• adjusting to parenthood
• perinatal or postpartum depression
• play
• preparing for return to work and more

At each session, you will also have plenty of time for conversation with other parents and to get your questions answered by the public health nurse. 

Harm Reduction Services

We provide free & confidential harm reduction supplies, services, and supports at our on-site location and through Mobile Outreach in the community. We serve the qathet Regional District, including the City of Powell River. 

Our program offers:

• Safer injection supplies, including needles, alcohol swabs, cookers, waters, and more 
• Safer smoking supplies, including pipes, mouthpieces, screens, foils, and more 
• Safer sex supplies, including condoms and lubricant 
• Overdose prevention, including Naloxone training and kits 
• Information and referrals to connect clients with appropriate health services, detox, treatment, and recovery services and other social supports 
• Sharps Containers and safe disposal of needles and other supplies (for clients only) 
• Health promotion & support to prevent infection, including HIV and Hepatitis C and improve health and well-being
• Education, information and learning opportunities for clients and community members

Location: Vancouver Coastal Health / Community Health on the 3rd Floor, 5000 Joyce Ave, Powell River, BC, V8A 5R3, 604-485-3310

Contact: Jessica, Harm Reduction Support Worker @ 604-223-7761

On-site services: Mondays & Wednesdays from 2:30-4 and Fridays from 1-4PM

Peer Support Mobile Outreach (pick up of used supplies / delivery of new supplies): Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays & Sundays from 9am-4pm. Call or text Dan at 604-414-8395 or Jaynie at 604-223-8184

Texada Island: Jessica at 604-223-7761 to set up delivery and pick up.

Find us on FB: Powell River Harm Reduction Services 

Community Resource Centre Outreach
Access to the Public Health Nurse twice monthly or as available.

Youth Clinic

We provide free and confidential drop-in health services for youth. This includes HIV and STI testing (sexually transmitted infections) and treatment, birth control options, emergency contraceptive pills, condoms, pregnancy testing, pap tests, immunizations, clinical youth counselling, help with stress, drug and alcohol issues, family issues and health-related issues. Free birth control age 21 and under, low cost birth control ages 22-24.

https://www.facebook.com/PowellRiverYouthClinic/

Immunizations

All ages, by appointment. At the Child Health Clinics, public health nurses provide immunizations, check growth and development and provide health information for children up to the age of five. 

S.A.F.E. Clinic (Sexual Awareness for Everyone)

Health Care Providers offer STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) screening/testing, treatment and education about prevention.

Nurse/Family Partnership

The BC Healthy Connections Project ensures that all pregnant and parenting women receive the care that they and their families need  See https://www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca/parenting for more information or contact Powell River Community Health at 604-485-3310, or by completing the on-line request form at http://www.vch.ca/Documents/Public-Health-Prenatal-Program-Contact-Form.pdf