Mental Health Services Helping More Children And Youth In Kingston Succeed
McGuinty Government Investments Helping More of Ontario’s Vulnerable Young People

KINGSTON – The McGuinty government is investing in community agencies to provide more mental health and behavioural programs and services to children, youth and families facing mental health challenges, announced MPP John Gerretsen on behalf of Minister of Children and Youth Services Mary Anne Chambers.

“It is important for children, youth and their families to access supports and services as close to home as possible,” said Gerretsen. “Four years ago, children and youth with mental health challenges weren’t getting the support they needed to achieve their full potential. We are working hard on many fronts to make a real difference for our community’s most vulnerable young people.”

The new funding of $290,723 is part of an additional $24.5 million annual investment across the province to enhance child and youth mental health services. It will be shared among 5 agencies in Kingston that provide services to children and youth with social and behavioural problems and mental health challenges, and builds on previous investments in more than 260 child and youth mental health agencies and 17 hospital-based outpatient programs across the province.

The funding breakdown is as follows:

• Pathways for Children and Youth $258,932
• Hotel Dieu Hospital $18,927
• Ongwanada $6,404
• Kairos Rehabilitation Program $3,833
• Children’s Aid Society, Kingston and County of Frontenac $2,627

This is the second increase in base annual funding to the child and youth mental health sector by the McGuinty government since 2004. Prior to the 2004 budget, the sector had not received a base increase for 12 consecutive years.

Since 2004, the McGuinty government has spearheaded other important changes that will build on and benefit children and youth with special needs and their families. As a result:

• Children’s treatment centres are providing more services to almost 7,000 young people with physical and developmental disabilities and other special needs; these community-based centres serve approximately 45,000 children and youth every year
• The ministry’s telepsychiatry program -- a creative solution for increasing access to mental health services for children and youth in underserved, remote and rural areas – and for getting them the help that they need when they need it – is providing approximately 1,400 consultations annually
• The number of children with autism receiving Intensive Behaviour Intervention (IBI) services has more than doubled to more than 1,100, and children are no longer being discharged on the basis of age.
• More supports are available for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families, as well as supports for teachers
• More urban Aboriginal children and youth are receiving the support, tools and activities needed to make healthy choices through Akwe:go, a community-based program delivered through the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres in 27 Ontario communities
• Expanding opportunity by providing more assistance to children in low income families through the $2.1 billion Ontario Child Benefit.

“These are tremendous results we’ve achieved by working together,” said Chambers. “Our government envisions an Ontario where children and youth with mental health challenges are able to realize their dreams and overcome the challenges of the invisible barriers they often face. By strengthening community programs that support our young people, we are helping more children and youth succeed in school and become healthy, productive adults.”

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For more information contact:
John Gerretsen, MPP
(613) 547-2385