Youth mental health centre remains well kept secret

The Child and Family Centre does not want to remain a well kept secret for children and youth who require mental health services, says its executive director.

For children and teens who suffer from anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, the centre is intended to be their first point of contact with the health-care system, and help them on their first steps to recovery.

It is now in the midst of a transformation to streamline its services and become more accessible for today's youth.

“That is certainly something that will be a priority of ours this year,” said executive director Linda Dugas.

The Child and Family Centre recently expanded its walk-in service – available at 65 Evergreen Street in Sudbury – to a second location in Espanola.

Through walk-in visits children and youth can meet with clinicians – usually registered social workers – to work on recovery plans for mental health issues like anxiety or depression.

In Sudbury, the walk-in service operates every Thursday from 12:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“We are a link and continuum for child and youth mental health services in our region,” said Mark Fraser, the Child and Family Centre's director of system management and quality.

The centre has partnerships with all four school boards in the region, and also works closely with Health Sciences North to direct people to the mental health services that are most appropriate for their needs.

For more serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, for example, people would normally be referred to the hospital.

Last year the centre helped nearly 2,000 children and youth in the Sudbury and Manitoulin Districts.

But Dugas said there are around 40,000 people under the age of 18 in the district, and around one in five are expected to suffer from a mental illness at some point.

That means there are around 8,000 young people in the region who could benefit from the Child and Family Centre's services.

Dugas said the centre is consulting with parents and young people to better serve that population.

To learn more about the Child and Family Centre visit its website.