The Ministry of Children and Youth Services is in the process of transforming the way child and youth mental health services are delivered across Ontario. In their Moving on Mental Health Strategy, released November 2012, the Ministry outlined its framework for establishing a better coordinated, integrated, collaborative and accountable child and youth mental health system while facilitating easier access for families and their children.
Lead Agency
One element of the strategy is the identification of Lead Agencies in 33 defined service areas across Ontario who will be responsible for planning and delivery of child and youth mental health (CYMH) services. Within each defined community, a lead agency will be responsible for the following:
- creating clear and simple to use pathways to care for parents and youth;
- establishing a plan for the delivery of CYMH services across the service area;
- deliver or contract for the delivery of the range of defined core MCYS-funded CYMH services;
- ensure those services are effective and accountable to parents, youth, and children.
Kinark was identified as Lead Agency for child and youth mental health in the York service area in 2014 and in the Durham and Haliburton/Kawartha Lakes/Peterborough service areas in 2015. We are proud to have been selected as Lead Agency in these service areas and are committed to supporting and collaborating with our community partners to strengthen the CYMH sector in all our program areas.