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    • About
    EveryMind

    Image by Chayene Rafaela via Unsplash

    EveryMind is an accredited organization that provides help and hope to infants, children, youth, young adults (up to age 25) and families who live in the Region of Peel.

    Since 1985, EveryMind has inspired hope by leading in the delivery of high quality mental health services for infants, children, youth, young adults (up to age 25) and families in the Region of Peel.

    We are a caring community working together for children, youth and families. We are welcoming and genuine, and we listen deeply to understand our clients’ needs, creating space for them to feel safe, heard and supported.

    As authentic and inclusive leaders, we are driven to help others. We lead by example and believe that collaboration increases our capacity to add value and make an impact for our clients, community and sector.

    We serve our clients with pride and passion. By delivering high quality services that exceed our clients’ expectations, we inspire them to feel empowered and optimistic about today and tomorrow.

    The essence of everything we do is hope and a belief that positively impacting the lives of infants, children, youth, young adults and families will make our communities healthier and happier for everyone.

    For more information about EveryMind’s role as Lead Agency for child and youth mental health services in the Region of Peel, click here.

    Our free, confidential and high quality mental health services are for infants, children, youth, young adults (up to age 25) and families who live in the Region of Peel.

    To find out more about how you can access our services, visit WhereToStart.ca or call 905-451-4655 to speak with an Access and Intake Specialist who will listen to your concerns and help you find the right program or service for you or your child’s needs.

    Our Mission

    A trusted partner positively impacting the lives of children and youth through high-quality mental health care.

    Our Vision

    Children and youth resilient and thriving.

    Our Values

    Respect & Caring

    We honour dignity and listen with empathy. We are kind and compassionate.

    Accountable

    We are ethical, transparent, and responsible. We act with integrity.

    Belonging

    We are inclusive so that everyone feels connected, seen, safe, and empowered.

    Collaborative

    We work together with shared commitment and trust.

    Learning

    We embrace curiosity to know more, do better and share.

    September 30, 2021 marked Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. As a country, as part of the Child and Youth Mental Health sector and as an organization, it was an important moment for us to acknowledge the history of the residential schools, and to further accept our role in these systems of oppression; honoring the children lost and those who survived, and acknowledging the multi-generational trauma that existed and continues to impact Indigenous children, youth, families and communities to this day.

    At EveryMind, we have worked with the Indigenous Network to educate ourselves on Canadian history from an Indigenous perspective. We have also made the decision to discontinue and remove all references to “residence” and “residential treatment” when referring to our live-in treatment programs.

    By adding this land acknowledgment to our website, we wish to honour, show respect for and celebrate the Indigenous people of Canada, who first lived on and nurtured the land we all call home today.

    As part of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy, over the summer months of 2022, EveryMind’s Indigenous Knowledge Committee led the effort of reviewing and revising our existing Land Acknowledgment statement. Following an assessment and selection process – including a review of community statements and input and engagement by staff, EveryMind’s new Land Acknowledgment statement was introduced in July 2022.

    In the fall of 2024, staff were once again invited to provide feedback on suggested changes to our existing Land Acknowledgement Statement. This staff-led initiative came into being because we felt our statement did not truly reflect our organizational commitment towards recognizing our past, continuing our present journey of learning and reflection, and bettering the future for all.

    Following staff engagement, the Committee released the new and improved Land Acknowledgement statement in February 2025.

    We start all large organizational meetings, town halls and trainings with this Acknowledgment. It is read by a different staff member at each meeting. To empower staff to lead this acknowledgement and recognising the inherent importance of names, the Committee also created a video with the correct pronunciations of the Indigenous Nations whose land we work on. Staff are also encouraged to share a personal reflection or learning about our complicated connection to our land, its true history, its many people – native and settlers.

    We acknowledge that these are small steps, but affirm that as an organization, EveryMind continues to be committed to reflecting, to learning, and to carrying out change.

    Our Land Acknowledgement

    We acknowledge that the land on which we gather is part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Land that has been inhabited and cared for by Indigenous Peoples from the beginning. We recognize the land on which we work is the territory of the Anishinabek, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee, Ojibway/Chippewa peoples, and Metis; all who continue to care for this land today.

    We are committed to the principles of cultural humility which involves lifelong learning and self-reflection. Together we have a responsibility to reflect on the history and ongoing impact of colonialism. We acknowledge that its legacy persists in present-day racial realities and privileges. At EveryMind, we recognize the value of Indigenous healing practices and are committed to learning culturally competent ways of working with children, youth and families.

    Artwork by students in our Day Treatment program at the Caledon Campus to acknowledge the First National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

    In July 2024, we began work on a new Strategic Plan for 2025-30. This plan will not only guide our work for the next five years, it also marks the beginning of a new chapter as it is our first plan since Peel Children’s Centre and Nexus Youth Services amalgamated to become EveryMind Mental Health Services in 2020.

    Given the rapidly changing environment, it was critically important that this Strategic Plan consider a significant breadth and depth of engagement and input from those within our organization as well as our community; EveryMind staff; the voices of children, youth and families and local, regional and provincial partners, including partners whose perspective cuts across sectors and mandates.

    To support this broad conversation, a Strategic Planning Committee made up of members of our Board of Directors, leadership team and frontline staff members was created. The Committee ensured the strategic planning process was customized to EveryMind’s circumstances and needs, taking into account our DEI Strategy and other internal frameworks, and used inclusive methodology, rich with authentic engagement and dialogue. External strategic planning consultants were engaged to facilitate and guide us.

    The process included fulsome staff participation through surveys, townhalls, visioning sessions and focus groups, interviews with a range of key external partners from across sectors, and sustained input from our Youth and Family Advisory Council. The consulting team also met with the Board and the Senior Team for leadership perspectives on the strategic planning process.

    The result is a plan that not only stays true to our core tenet of providing hope, but also helps us focus on what is most important for achieving our mission, inspires us to turn our vision into action, and aligns with our values.

    Our Strategic Directions for 2025-2030

    1. Excellence in Care

    Strengthen our partnership with clients, families and caregivers to deliver an inclusive, high quality care experience and outcome.

    • Elevate the role of children, youth, families and caregivers in shaping their care journey
    • Integrate culturally responsive and safety-centred practices throughout our work
    • Adopt creative solutions to provide timely, equitable access to mental health care that meets client needs
    • Advance quality of services and outcomes through evidence-informed approaches and promising practices

    2. Connected Care

    With partners, create integrated, community-based networks of care to deliver an inclusive and seamless client journey.

    • Advance cross-sector collaborations to coordinate and align care across health, education and community systems
    • Promote health equity and remove barriers to access across the continuum of care
    • Increase community capacity and resources to support mental health care and wellbeing for children and youth
    • Increase awareness and recognition of EveryMind’s role and impact as a mental health service provider

    3. Empowering Our People

    Foster a healthy, vibrant and inclusive organization and culture where all staff contribute, learn, grow, and flourish.

    Promote a person-centred workplace where accountability, continuous learning, and professional growth are part of everyday practice
    Cultivate a highly-connected and engaged workforce, where we live our vision, mission and values, and celebrate our accomplishments
    Be an employer of choice with a focus on recruiting, growing and retaining talent and developing leadership

    4. A Future Ready Organization

    Strengthen our capacity to further our Mission and contribute to a stronger, more impactful Child and Youth Mental Health system.

    • Advance strategic relationships and influence policy directions that contribute to child and youth mental health system development and service capacity
    • Invest in business solutions, data and analytics to drive improvement and growth
    • Leverage technology and infrastructure for operational efficiencies, excellence and innovation

    Here’s a video that briefly explains the process and the Strategic Plan for 2025-2030.

    EveryMind is governed by a Board of Directors. Our Board is comprised of community volunteers with a range of personal and professional experience and who care deeply about serving infants, children, youth and young adults in Peel Region. Our current Board of Directors includes:

    • Nainesh Kotak, President
    • Cara Cross, Vice-President
    • Elaine Moore, Secretary/Treasurer
    • Gopala Narayanan
    • Susan Mohos
    • Rory McNabb
    • Nkunda Kabateraine
    • Sean Gormley
    • Snehal Belgaumkar
    • Sylvia Coughlan
    • Karol De Asis

    Accreditation is an external peer review process that evaluates the services provided by an organization against national standards of excellence. It identifies what is being done well and what needs to be improved.

    At the end of February 2024, EveryMind underwent an on-site survey under Accreditation Canada’s rigorous Qmentum Global™ program and has been Accredited with Commendation.

    Accreditation Canada is a global, not-for-profit organization with a vision of safer care and a healthier world. Working together with Health Standards Organization (HSO), Accreditation Canada’s people-centered programs and services are setting the bar for quality and safety across health and social service organizations by delivering a range of high-impact assessment programs for more than 60 years.

    EveryMind achieved 94.6% of the 650 applicable criteria across core standards of governance, leadership, medication management, infection prevention and control, and service excellence, as well as sector-specific standards for community-based mental health services and supports, and child, youth, and family services.

    Surveyors commended the organization for its passion in the provision of high quality and safe services, impressive community partnerships, meaningful engagement with youth and families, and commitment to a culture of excellence, innovation, and wellness. Collaboration was recognized as a core strength.

    Surveyors encouraged EveryMind to continue its learning journey in the areas of cultural humility and together with community partners, to consider new perspectives and approaches in dealing with longer wait times, high service demands, and increased client complexity of needs.

    To celebrate this achievement and to underline our commitment to youth engagement, we decided to work with youth on a co-design project using Powtoon as a creative means of making our findings and results available to our community via our website.

    The brief video below provides an engaging overview of what Accreditation means and how it impacts us as the lead agency for child and youth mental health in Peel. It is also a tangible result of our ongoing youth engagement work as well as another opportunity to take a moment and celebrate our accreditation achievement!