Children’s Mental Health

 

This program delivers clinical services to natural and foster families with children ranging in age from birth to eighteen years. The agency’s programs, community agencies and individuals refer clients to the program.

The program intends to provide comprehensive clinical services that include assessments and therapy. Consultation with psychologists on contract are supplemented by the agency’s video access and service protocols with child Psychiatrists at Toronto Sick Kids Hospital. All services seek to ensure interventions are culturally relevant and community based. The program makes every attempt to involve parents in the child’s assessment and intervention. These interventions include individual and family counselling; group work; school and residential programs; education/training; advocacy and referral services. These services are intended to support all agency clients.

 

Community Support Workers

The Community Support Program is designed to support families and children by helping to address community needs. The philosophy behind the development of the program identifies the families and children who may require services that will prevent the need for more intrusive services in the future.

This program has a responsibility for the delivery of a range of community prevention programs and family support activities designed to strengthen families and respond to emerging community needs.

 

0 to 6 – Early Years Mental Health

The 0 – 6 Early Years Mental Health Initiative has been established to provide intensive Mental Health services to children between the ages of 0 – 6 and their families.

The purpose of this services is to offer early mental health intervention to children that are or may become at risk of requiring extensive mental health services later in life.  Children may be at risk in their mental health development as a result of biological (genetic) or environmental reasons; which may include; parenting functioning, parent-child interactions, poverty, domestic violence, parental mental health, substance abuse etc.

Goal:

The intensive approach will provide Early Mental Health intervention to children aged 0-6 and their families to surmount challenges, and create a family environment that supports healthy early childhood development.  Counseling and support for parents who are worried about various aspects of their child’s development or behaviour, and are seeking reassurance and guidance in their parenting roles.

Objectives:

  • To provide intensive services that focus on two major components
    • Child development (emphasis on achieving developmental milestones, socialization, and readiness to learn skills)
    • Parenting skills and development
  • To assist parents in identifying and dealing with their own issues, which may affect their parenting and ability to create a nurturing home environment
  • To assist in referring the child and parent in receiving all identified services needed that would support a healthy childhood development, and healthy environment
  • To promote health attachment relationships

Eligibility Criteria:

The 0-6 Early Year Mental Health Service is targeted to offer services to families in need of 0-6 Children’s Mental Health Intervention services and is at risk of / or experiencing some of the following:

  • The child is from 0-6 years of age, and at risk, or already at risk in the following areas:
    • Developmental
    • Social
    • Emotional
    • Behavioural
  • The child would benefit from in-home visitation, and intervention with the maximum being as intensive as five (5) times a week.
  • The family of the identified child requires support, and information to gain knowledge on infant/child development, to understand their own relationship, with their child, and to receive help in obtaining appropriate services
  • The child’s development, behavioural functioning level dictates that the required intervention is intensive in nature