Working Groups

Kids Come First working groups include youth, families, caregivers, professionals and other subject matter experts to improve care for kids.

Child, Youth, Family & Caregiver Partners

The Kids Come First Health Team is committed to child, youth, family and caregiver partnership in the co-design and ongoing leadership at all levels of operations within the team. This table consists of youth, families, and caregivers with lived experience receiving health and developmental services in the region.

Francophone Committee

The Francophone committee of Kids Come First raises awareness and sensitizes members to the reality, concerns, and issues faced by Francophones. The Committee has completed an analysis of the current state of health services for Francophone children, youth, and their families and is working to implement the findings and recommendations from the assessment.

We are currently recruiting new members!

If you're passionate about improving francophone services and care for kids and youth, contact us at communications@kidscomefirst.ca to learn more.

Mental Health, Addictions, and Substance Use Health Table

This table is committed to improving the experience of children, youth and their families to timely equitable access to mental health, addictions and substance use health services, and coordination support when needed. Using a regional data-driven approach, this table can identify priority areas, where working together partners can transform the health care system for access, navigation as well as infant early childhood mental health, integration in the delivery of services for mental health and substance use health, and building capacity of the workforce.

Pediatric Home and Community Care

The Home and Community Care Working Group brought together Family partners, home care agencies, physicians caring for children with complex medical needs, and community organizations to co-design improvements to pediatric home care service delivery models. The group advanced work to improve access, coordination, provider education, and the experience of children, youth, and families receiving care at home and in the community.

The Working Group concluded in June 2026, with many of its priorities now embedded into ongoing CHEO Home and Community Care operations. Future improvement work continues through CHEO’s Integrated Treatment Centre initiatives and other partnerships, with ongoing engagement of families, caregivers, service providers, and community partners.

Primary Care

The Primary Care Working Group brings together healthcare professionals, individuals with lived or living experience, and community partners to strengthen how children and youth access primary care across Eastern Ontario. The group supports regional collaboration, helps shape priorities, drives innovative projects, and builds stronger connections across the health system - working closely with Ontario Health Teams to align efforts and maximize impact. Participation is flexible, with opportunities to engage in ways that align with your interests and availability.

Population & Public Health Collaborative

The population and public health collaborative is a coalition of individuals and organizations who understand that a population health approach is the glue that should hold together individual healthcare transactions. Their goal is to improve the health of the entire population and to reduce health inequities among population groups.

Regional Surgical Pediatric Program

The regional surgical pediatric program working group is comprised of individuals receiving or having received surgical care (child, youth and family/caregiver partners), physicians and health care providers, and representatives from hospitals across eastern Ontario. Together we are striving to leverage, coordinate and integrate organizations to improve the experience of children, youth and their families/caregivers to ensure timely and equitable access to surgical care across Eastern Ontario. Their goal has a quadruple aim: better health outcomes, better patient and family/caregiver experiences, better provider experience and better value.

Last updated: 2026-03-12