Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network (PAIL Network) joins Sunnybrook to expand support services for families
The Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network (PAIL Network) has joined Sunnybrook with the goal of increasing services for families in Ontario, expanding training for health care professionals and identifying current gaps in the health care system for families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss.
PAIL Network’s expertise in providing unique support services tailored specifically to meet the needs of grieving families complements Sunnybrook’s leadership in caring for women and families experiencing the loss of a pregnancy or infant. PAIL Network will continue to run peer support services and expand services for bereaved families.
“As a major maternal and newborn centre with over three decades of focused education and support for families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss, this is a new partnership we are very excited about,” says Dr. Jo Watson, operations director of Sunnybrook’s Women & Babies Program.
“Under Sunnybrook's Women & Babies Program, PAIL Network's work will continue and expand, offering support for families, outreach activities and an investment into education for health care providers.”
PAIL Network is currently conducting the first provincial needs assessment for pregnancy and infant loss, to better understand current support services when a family experiences the loss of a pregnancy or baby. The assessment will identify opportunities and priorities for improving services in the future.
PAIL Network relies on the support of more than 100 volunteers to assist with these services for grieving families, and there are plans to expand volunteer numbers in the future.
“PAIL Network's services will expand further, which is wonderful news for families across the province of Ontario,” says Michelle Lafontaine, program manager of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network at Sunnybrook. “I have sat with families who waited far too long to receive support for their loss, this new direction will help catch those families earlier and offer them much-needed support in a timely manner.”
To learn more, please visit PAIL Network.
