New nursing role at HOMEBASE MJ to reimagine youth care and health partnerships

HOMEBASE Moose Jaw is expanding its health services this summer through a new partnership with Medavie Health Services West, bringing a registered nurse (RN) on-site for the first time.

The position is part of Saskatchewan’s Integrated Youth Services (IYS) model and marks the first time Medavie has formally partnered with a Saskatchewan-based youth hub to deliver Registered Nurse services on location. Medavie's service platform in eastern provinces such as Nova Scotia is broader than here, giving them the foundation to expand on what they can offer in Saskatchewan.

The RN will be available part-time at HOMEBASE, which serves youth aged 12 to 25, providing assessments, chronic illness support, preventative education, and streamlined referrals to additional care through partners like The Nest Health Centre in Regina.

Angela Sereda, senior operations manager with Medavie, said the new model builds on the relationships already formed between HOMEBASE youth and Medavie’s community paramedics, who provide ongoing outreach support.

“This type of model of care is really a partnership in how we can reimagine healthcare today,” Sereda said.

“It’s no longer about a doctor in a clinic, a nurse in a hospital, or a paramedic in an ambulance working in isolation. Integrating different health disciplines together just makes it easier for youth to get the help they need, when they need it.”

The on-site nurse will complement rather than replace the existing primary care physicians available through The Nest, and Sereda emphasized that the nursing role adds a new layer of accessibility.

“This will help us provide more continuity of care,” she said. “An RN can handle so many of the day-to-day needs youth might bring to us — things like managing asthma or diabetes, getting connected to mental health support, or just having someone there to listen and guide them toward the right next step.”

Steve Compton, CEO of the YMCA of Regina, which operates HOMEBASE, said the goal is to match health service availability with when young people are actually present — a gap that often leaves vulnerable youth behind.

“We’re excited,” Compton said. “We know that many of the youth we support don’t access traditional systems. They come to HOMEBASE after school, sometimes in the early evening. Now they’ll be able to speak to somebody qualified on site that can either assist them directly or refer them to something more critical if needed.”

While the RN’s official schedule is still being finalized, Compton confirmed the additional support will allow HOMEBASE to expand operating hours and enhance coordination with other mental health and wellness providers.

“This is about meeting young people where they are,” he added. “And it’s a continuation of what we’ve already built at HOMEBASE — care, safety, support, and belonging.

"We're really grateful to Medavie for extending this opportunity to us. We think that's part of the strength of the Moose Jaw community, is that there's a lot of community effort to work together to serve, and we're really thankful that they have the confidence to partner with HOMEBASE in Moose Jaw."

More information about HOMEBASE and the IYS model is available at homebasesask.ca/hubs/moose-jaw and through Saskatchewan Health Authority youth services.