Prince Edward Island’s first Youth Mental Health Day Treatment Program is another step closer to welcoming clients in August, now that key staff are hired and programming is being developed.
Minister of Health and Wellness Robert Henderson said the new program will provide youth and families with more options and better mental health care.
“The new day treatment program will meet a pressing need for youth who do not require hospital care, but do need more intensive treatment than they could get by visiting a clinic once a week,” said Minister Henderson. “The program will be an important link between acute and community care that should result in shorter hospital admissions and fewer re-admissions, while freeing up time at community-based clinics to care for more youth with moderate needs.”
The program will support Island youth aged 13 to 18 who have a mental health diagnosis and with intensive treatment, can carry out daily life while living at home as part of their community. It will support 50 to 60 youth each year, with each receiving up to 16 weeks of intensive therapy and support, five days a week. The program will accept 8 to 10 youth at a time.
Best practice programming will include multi-disciplinary assessment, individual and group therapy, psychiatry consult, academic support, rehabilitation and family involvement.
An education specialist will help youth to keep up with their school work while in the program. Staff will keep in regular contact with the youth’s school to help them understand the clinical problem, and how they can support the youth in the school environment and ease back into school life after completing the program.
Dr. Jacqueline Goodwin, child clinical psychologist is the program team lead.
“Many mental illnesses develop at a young age. With early intervention we can help many youth understand and manage their illness and live full lives,” said Dr. Goodwin. “This new program is a key part of the continuum of mental health services we are building for Island youth. It will be a ‘step up’ support for youth in the community requiring more intensive care, and a transitional ‘step down’ support for those leaving inpatient hospital care who need it.”
Other staff hired include a Masters of Social Work, an education specialist with a mental health background, and two youth workers. A second Masters social worker, occupational therapist, and a nurse coordinator position are being posted.
The Youth Mental Health Day Treatment Program is located at 40 Enman Crescent in Charlottetown.
Minister Henderson advised that significant progress is also being made to add staff at the QEH who are dedicated to inpatient adolescent mental health patients. A new youth worker, social worker, two nurses and an LPN have been hired. A clinical psychologist position is currently posted.
Most of the new Behavioural Support Team members are in place and consulting with mental health and addictions staff on complex child behavior cases. The team currently consists of two social workers and a youth worker. A team psychologist is now being recruited.
The team provides short term, goal-focused therapy to children with moderate to severe disruptive behaviors, for example, Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. It will work closely with existing Community Mental Health services, the new Youth Mental Health Day Treatment Program, and services provided by other government departments such as Justice, Family and Human Services, and Education and Early Childhood Development.