News and Stories

New Regulations for Behaviour Analysts 

July 11, 2024 – As of July 1, 2024, Behaviour Analysts in Ontario are now regulated by the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO). This new regulation, mandated by the Government of Ontario in 2023, aims to enhance safety and reduce the risk of harm for vulnerable Ontarians receiving Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) services. 

As an organization that provides ABA services, Kinark Child and Family Services adheres to these regulations, ensuring all relevant staff are registered with the CPBAO. All our core clinical services are supervised by a Registered Behaviour Analyst (Ont.), making them eligible for OAP funding. 

With this new regulation in place, Ontarians can feel assured that all practicing Behaviour Analysts are qualified to provide safe, quality care and are held accountable to a regulatory body for upholding professional standards. For families, this means more safety and protection. Behaviour Analysts in Ontario are required by law to deliver professional services competently and ethically.  

For more information about this change, please visit the CPBAO website. 

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Together we KARE

June 28, 2024 – The Kinark Annual Recognition Event Awards, known as the KARE Awards, are a cherished tradition at Kinark Child and Family Services, celebrating the exceptional contributions and achievements of our staff over the past year. Each award nominee is put forward by their colleagues, those who understand their work intimately and witness their extraordinary contributions firsthand.

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The Nurse Practitioner Perspective – Celebrating Nursing Week 2024

May 6, 2024 – Ever wonder what a day in the life of a nurse at Kinark is truly like? We asked Salena Mohammed, a Nurse Practitioner at Syl Apps Youth Centre, to share a realistic picture of what her work looks like day to day.

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Purple’s Path to Progress: Integrating Care for Dual Diagnosed Youth

March 1, 2024 – We’d like to introduce you to Purple. Purple doesn’t want to be here anymore. Purple doesn’t want to go to school or leave their house. A once creative and engaged child, Purple is now suffering.

Purple is a 15-year-old, non-binary youth who was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Purple is a second-generation immigrant who lives with their mom in a basement apartment and has limited time with their dad. The relationship between each parent and the child is strained. Purple is suffering.

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Insights and Inspiration: Dr. Burek’s Perspective on Psychology Month

February 12, 2024 – February is Psychology Month. To celebrate, we spoke with some of Kinark’s psychologists as they shared insights into their career journeys and the motivations that fuel their commitment to serving others as compassionate leaders. Psychologists play a crucial role in supporting individuals’ mental health and well-being, and understanding their perspectives can offer valuable insights into the challenges and rewards of the profession.

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Connection and Collaboration: Dr. Saxton’s Perspective on Psychology

February 8, 2024 – February is Psychology Month. To celebrate, we spoke with some of Kinark’s psychologists as they shared insights into their career journeys and the motivations that fuel their commitment to serving others as compassionate leaders. Psychologists play a crucial role in supporting individuals’ mental health and well-being, and understanding their perspectives can offer valuable insights into the challenges and rewards of the profession.

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DBT-Kids program at Kinark; a conversation with Dr. Trull and Dr. Hancock

January 25, 2024 – DBT-K is breaking new ground as a multi-level intervention approach. This innovative new approach to DBT therapy is the first of its kind in Ontario. In fact, Kinark is the first and only provider in Canada to be implementing the DBT-Kids protocol developed by the Fruzzettis. Dr. Graham Trull and Dr. Megan Hancock led the efforts around the implementation of the DBT–Kids therapy program at Kinark and offer their insights around what that process was like, as well as the success of the program.  

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New research brief from Kinark Child and Family Services highlights virtual autism services as an effective and sustainable method for the delivery of quality care

January 15, 2024 – Kinark Autism Services, a division of Kinark Child and Family Services (Kinark), has published its latest research brief on best practices in virtual autism services and recommendations to maximize the potential of virtual care to make needed supports more readily available and less costly for families. Kinark is releasing the research brief with the aim of increasing the availability of evidence-based services and support to families in rural, remote, and underserved communities across the province who have been unable to access crucial in-person core services.

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Kinark Child and Family Services announces expansion of autism services and locations, increasing access for families in need of immediate support

October 30, 2023 – Amidst a growing demand from Ontario families for increased access to autism programs and services, Kinark Autism Services, a division of Kinark Child and Family Services, today announced the opening of two new Centres and expanded access to a wide range of programs and services, including home-based and virtual care, to help address immediate needs for children and families living with autism. 

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Kinark Child and Family Services announces Board of Directors appointments 

October 23, 2023 – Kinark Child and Family Services is pleased to announce the appointment of Sharon Cochran as our new Chair of the Board of Directors. Cochran, formerly the Vice Chair, joined the Kinark board in 2018. The board has also appointed three new board members to join the group of dedicated volunteers who devote their time and energy to support Ontario’s most complex kids. 

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Together, Kinark Child and Family Services and Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences have expanded Outpatient Adolescent Eating Disorder Services in the community and are now accepting referrals. 

July 31, 2023 (Whitby, ON) – Kinark Child and Family Services (Kinark) and Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores) are pleased to announce that they are working collaboratively to expand community-based Outpatient Adolescent Eating Disorder Services in order to meet the needs of East Region clients and families, bridge the step-down care gap from hospital to community, and avoid hospitalization for those clients requiring less intensive interventions. 

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Together, Kinark Child and Family Services and Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences will expand Outpatient Eating Disorder services in the community. 

April 20, 2023 (Whitby, ON) – Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores) and Kinark Child and Family Services (Kinark) are pleased to announce that they will work collaboratively to expand community-based Outpatient Adolescent Eating Disorder Services to meet the needs of East Region patients and families, bridge the step-down care gap from hospital to community, and avoid hospitalization of lower-acuity clients. 

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Everything Is Not OK campaign launches in Ontario supporting mental health and addictions care 

March 11, 2021 – Today, 74% of Ontarians are experiencing increased mental health and substance use challenges. Too many Ontarians are waiting too long for access to mental health and addiction care. It was a crisis before COVID-19. The pandemic has made it even worse. In response, a group of organizations have launched the Everything Is Not OK campaign in Ontario. 

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