Pine River Institute Wins Business Excellence Award in Dufferin County

MP Sylvia Jones presented the awards; here with PRI CEO Vaughan Dowie.
Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones presented the awards; pictured here with PRI CEO Vaughan Dowie. 

Pine River Institute (PRI) is proud to be recognized by the Dufferin Board of Trade (DBoT) with the 2024 Business Excellence Award (BEA) for Innovation.

We are honoured to be part of the Dufferin County community and grateful for this acknowledgement of the incredible work our staff does to support youth and their families.

“The 2024 BEAs recognize outstanding local businesses and nonprofits who work to benefit both our local economy and the wellbeing of our community,” said DBoT. “The Innovation Award is given to a business or organization that is a trailblazer of our local business community, striving ahead to achieve remarkable results.”

Highlighting Our Initiatives

Pine River’s nomination submission highlighted the significant work of our Centre for Family Initiatives (CFI@PRI). The centre extends PRI’s knowledge, experience, and evidence-informed treatment model to the broader community through strategic learning opportunities for youth, parents/caregivers, educators, clinicians and agency staff, helping more youth regain mental wellness and develop tools to combat addictive behaviours.

Community Partnerships and Programs

PRI has formed partnerships with local schoolboards, including the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB), and neighbouring boards like Wellington Catholic, Blue Water, and Grey Bruce. Pine River offers a series of webinars on core issues faced by  pre-teens, providing valuable information to parents and educators. Our learning series  is also shared through the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB).

Though our free masterclasses, CFI@PRI offers families and educators tools, tips, and strategies to reduce the stigma of mental health and promote mental wellness. Topics including Managing Screen Time, Blended Families, Understanding Youth Addiction, Anti-sex Trafficking, Raising Healthy Kids and Teens, The Power of Showing Up, and Parenting Resilient Children.

CEO Vaughan Dowie, Assistant Clinical Director (Acting) Krista Alexander, Clinical Director (Acting)  Anne Tong, Human Resources Director Jennifer Rutledge, Senior Director of Campus Life Dan Ardis. 
From right: CEO Vaughan Dowie, Assistant Clinical Director (Acting) Krista Alexander, Clinical Director (Acting)  Anne Tong, Human Resources Director Jennifer Rutledge, Senior Director of Campus Life Dan Ardis. 

Training for Professionals

Pine River also provides training to clinicians and professionals working with youth, extending our model, knowledge, and outcome research to enhance family work and other areas.

External Recognition

Accreditation Canada, during its rigorous external review of our program, noted PRI’s commitment to Research and Evaluation that continuously informs our clinical approach and contributes evidence-informed knowledge to the broader community:

  • PRI is an active and respected community partner and system leaders. Partners recognize PRI as an evidence driven program.”
  • “(PRI) is commended for broadly and publicly reporting on its research and quality outcomes”
  • “Pine River Institute is commended for its ongoing contributions to the body of knowledge on youth addictions and mental health.”

We are thankful for this Business Excellence Award recognition from the Dufferin Board of Trade and remain dedicated to our mission to support youth and families in our community and beyond.