Parkin is proud to have partnered with Montfort Hospital in Ottawa on the design of its new Mental Health Emergency Zone (MHEZ), a first-of-its-kind space in Ontario dedicated to supporting patients experiencing psychiatric emergencies.
Opened in November 2024, the MHEZ provides a calm, safe, and trauma-informed environment directly connected to the hospital’s Emergency Department. Designed with de-escalation and patient dignity at its core.
The project and its early successes were recently featured on CBC Radio’s White Coat Black Art and in a CBC News story, which highlighted Montfort Hospital’s leadership in addressing the urgent need for mental health–focused emergency care. With the hospital seeing more than twice the provincial average of mental health emergency visits, the MHEZ is already demonstrating significant improvements in patient experience, staff safety, and overall care delivery.
At Parkin, we are proud to have played a role in shaping this innovative space, which reflects our ongoing commitment to advancing mental health care through thoughtful, evidence-based design.
photos: CBC Radio’s White Coat Black Art