Windsor, ON: A new collaborative program between Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare (HDGH) and Maryvale Adolescent and Family Services has begun this month, helping underserved youth and their families access and connect with mental health care. The program is a system-level initiative lead through HDGH as the Lead Agency for Child and Youth Mental Health in Windsor-Essex. As Lead Agency, HDGH’s focus is to ensure the diverse needs of Windsor-Essex’s children, youth, and their families are accessible, responsive, evidence-informed, collaborative, and family-centered.
The Family Navigation Program for Child and Youth Mental Health will see two Family Navigators, a social worker from HDGH and Maryvale, working with youth and families who have historically experienced barriers to accessing mental health care. These groups include members of our Indigenous, LQBTQ+, Francophone communities, Immigrant, refugees or groups of ethnic and/or cultural minority, racialized youth and youth with disabilities.
“Windsor-Essex is one of the most diverse communities in Canada. We know that mental health concerns affect everyone, regardless of background, socioeconomic status, culture, or ethnicity. The Family Navigation Program for children, youth and their families will respond to the diverse needs of our community while understanding the values, beliefs, traditions of these underserved groups living in our region,” said Terra Cadeau, Executive Lead, Children and Youth Mental Health, Lead Agency.
The team has begun with outreach, learning, listening and understanding the needs of these groups of youth and their family.
Family Navigators, Lisa LaRocque and Daniel Nehmetallah have begun with the fundamentals of human interaction, forming relationships and trust by connecting with youth and their families where they are, in their familiar, already-known environments. They have also begun providing community education activities and have started to build awareness for the new service.
“Unfortunately, we have heard that oftentimes the first experiences with our mental health system by the youth and families we meet, have been a hospital emergency department – that can be overwhelming and scary,” explained Lisa “This is simply because they don’t know where or who else to call. Both myself and Daniel, recognize that a large part of the success of this program will be going to these youths and their families, understanding what they need, assess the barriers, understand their goals and then help to connect with the most appropriate ongoing service.”
The Family Navigation Program for Child and Youth Mental Health in Windsor Essex does not provide diagnosis, treatment, case management or crisis services but rather helps underserved groups connect and navigate the system more easily ensuring they are receiving the care they require.
“An important part of our work as Lead Agency for Child and Youth Mental Health Services in Windsor-Essex includes developing and operationalizing system-wide change and resources to better improve access, experiences and mental health outcomes for our region’s children and their families. Together, with Maryvale, that is exactly what the Family Navigation Program will do,” explained Cadeau.
Outcomes of the program will be closely evaluated through HDGH’s Department of Research and Evaluation. The goal is to have the work done through the Family Navigation Program help inform the development of additional programs and services in our community to meet the specific and unique needs of these marginalized and vulnerable groups.
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