On June 22nd, 2011 the Ontario McGuinty government released aComprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, which focuses on children and youth over the next three years. In year one, supports for kids target three key areas: fast access to high-quality services, early identification and support, and helping vulnerable kids with unique needs. Key Investments for children and youth include providing more services such as short-term therapy and crisis intervention in community agencies to help 13,000 more children and adolescents and reduce service wait times.
The Ministry of Children and Youth Services has decided that ROCK will receive sufficient funds to provide services to 400 clients per year. This translates into 8 fte. positions – 3 counselling, 1 early years (0-6), 2 psychology and 2 compass. Start-up costs are allocated to each new position, however infrastructure funding will not be assigned. The planning process to integrate the new funding for ROCK has begun. We will be discussing the direction we will take with our primary collaterals in Education, Health Care and the CAS.
The Ministry representative commended the work that ROCK does to benefit the children, youth and families in Halton. This funding will not ‘end the wait’, it will however shorten wait times and demonstrates a commitment to the Mental Health of Children and Youth in Ontario.
Ron Rodgers, CEO