The CMHA Ontario-MCYS Integrated Training Project is a new project of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario. Funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, this training program is designed to increase the capacity of frontline workers who provide services to children and youth with complex mental health needs.
CMHA, Ontario is developing an online repository of existing training resources for frontline workers who provide services to children and youth with complex mental health needs. For this project, “youth” refers to individuals up to age 29, and “complex mental health needs” includes the following:
• Children and youth who are experiencing significant, rare or persistent mental health challenges that impact their functioning in most areas such as home, school and in the community (MCYS, 2013:8).
• Complex issues that have an impact on the mental health for children and youth in a way that:
- Make it difficult to navigate the service system and find care;
- Position this particular group of children and youth at the intersection of education, social care and mental health services, with high levels of need that require costly packages of care (adapted from O’Malley et al 2005:170).
These issues include a combination of:
- Adverse childhood experiences
- Involvement with the criminal justice system
- Separation from family
- Histories of trauma
- Witnessing or experiencing violence (including bullying)
- Racism and racialization
- Homophobia, bi-phobia and transphobia
- Homelessness, insecure housing and chronic under-housing
- Poverty and food insecurity
- Limited access to education
- Geographical location and geographical segregation
- Lack of employment and chronic under-employment
Does your organization have a training resources related to children and youth mental health? Your training resources could be promoted in this online repository. To help inform this inventory we are requesting that you complete this short survey. Thanks in advance for your participation.