May
Lead Agency Consortium Calls for Further Investments in Mental Health Supports for Children, Youth and Families
May 3, 2021
For immediate release
TORONTO, ON – Child and Youth Mental Health Lead Agency Consortium co-chairs Karen Ingebrigtson and Linda Dugas today are adding their voice to the call for governments to make additional investments in mental health supports for children, youth and families. During Mental Health Week, communities across Canada are underscoring the urgent need for improved access to mental health supports and services.
The pandemic has emphasised the vulnerability of children and youth to mental illness. Children and youth have faced increased mental health struggles, magnified by province-wide lock downs, school closures and virtual learning. Parents —in particular, those raising school-aged children— have faced similar challenges.
“As Ontario moves toward a time when vaccination levels reduce the daily threat of COVID-19 and the resumption of normal life returns, mental health supports and services to lift the wellbeing of children, youth and families will not lessen —but redouble,” said LAC co-chairs Ingebrigtson and Dugas.
Adding further, “The long-term and lasting effects of the pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of children, youth and families cannot be underestimated. Lead Agency Consortium members urge the Government of Ontario to begin to plan and invest now. Ontario’s future leaders are depending upon all of us.”
The Child and Youth Mental Health Lead Agency Consortium, representing the lead agencies from 33 service areas across Ontario, is committed to the goal of continually improving child and youth mental health services in Ontario so children and youth and their families receive the right services for their unique needs at the right time and in the right place.
For Peel Region, EveryMind is the Lead Agency and access to mental health services for children and youth is through WhereToStart.ca, 905-451-4655. This access point is a partnership of child and youth mental health service-providers in Peel. EveryMind also provides 24/7 Crisis Response at 416-410-8615 while Tangerine Walk-In Counselling, 905-795-3530, currently offers brief telephone-based or virtual consultations. All of these child and youth mental health services are free of charge.
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For more information, please contact LAC executive director Patrick Dion, executivedirector@lac-car.ca, 613.297.4028.