fbpx

Media

In keeping with our commitment to privacy and confidentiality for our clients, we do not publicly discuss any information about clients or former clients and their families. To protect privacy, we will not confirm that any individual is, or was, a Kinark client.
To protect the privacy and confidentiality of children and families receiving services from our agency, and to maintain an appropriate environment for our clients, photography and filming activities at any of our sites is prohibited. More privacy information is available on our Privacy page.

Media Inquiries

For media inquiries please contact:

Communications Department
communications@kinark.on.ca


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.

READ MORE

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.

READ MORE


Kinark Child and Family Services Teams Up with EMHware to Support Operational Efficiency

EMHware, an EverHealth brand and provider of the premier cloud-based agency management solution, announced today that Kinark Child and Family Services, a leading child and youth service provider, is using EMHware to help improve access, efficiencies, and outcomes for its clients.

READ MORE

Keeping Kids, Families and our Staff Safe: Kinark Child and Family Services’ Vaccine Policy

The safety and wellbeing of Kinark’s clients and their families, and our staff, is Kinark’s top priority.  The risks of the current COVID-19 pandemic have meant we have had to make a number of changes to our services and processes to keep everyone as safe as possible.

Vaccination against COVID-19 has proven to be one of the most effective public health measures available to protect people, communities and our health services. Public health evidence has shown that that COVID-19 vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death.

We want you to know that as of November 15, following best advice from public health experts, all of the staff working at Kinark, our volunteers, students and contractors will have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless they have an approved medical or human rights exemption.  In order to protect you, we will continue to wear personal protective equipment, like masks and gloves, and continue to deeply clean all of our sites.

We encourage everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated to get vaccinated.  The COVID-19 vaccines approved by Health Canada have been proven safe to use and effective. They are available in your community and they are free.  Sign up for your vaccine through the provincial booking system.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, visit the Ontario government’s COVID-19 website here.

Don’t give up on these kids

The Ontario government is closing a specialized mental health treatment program for primarily Black, Indigenous and racialized kids just at the same time mental health issues are sharply rising in the province. The immediate impact of closing this program is an increased risk of suicides and hospitalization – at a time when pressure on hospitals must be reduced.

READ MORE

Kinark Child and Family Services Closes Childcare Programs in Georgina, Ontario

June 25, 2020 – After more than 25 years of providing childcare in Georgina, Kinark has made the very difficult decision to close all our childcare programs.
Read More

Kinark Delivers Virtual Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kinark offices and locations are closed to the public. Kinark has launched virtual clinical services for clients in community-based Child and Youth Mental Health, Autism and Intensive Support and Supervision Programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are regularly assessing and re-assessing our clients’ needs and adjusting our approach to service and support as needed. Our menu of available services continues to expand. We are also working with the Ministry of the Attorney General to explore options for virtual Supervised Access visits.

READ MORE

March 5, 2019 – Kinark Response to Government of Ontario Autism Program Changes

In response to questions from our clients about recent changes made to the Ontario Autism Program by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, and after further clarifying how the proposed changes may be implemented, Kinark has prepared the following statement which outlines our response, recommendations and how we are working to support Ontario families with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 

READ MORE

June 1, 2017 – Kinark Named a 2017 Digital Transformation Awards Finalist

Kinark has been named one of 26 finalists in IT World’s inaugural Digital Transformation Awards.

Launched in January 2017 to inspire Canadian organizations to embrace the latest technology, the Awards program recognizes digital transformation excellence across the country in both the private and public sectors.

TELUS nominated Kinark for one of four awards that will be handed out at the Digital Transformation Conference to be held in Toronto on June 14th.

Before its digital transformation began in 2016 the agency was using multiple legacy systems and working with different carriers and suppliers to manage various aspects of its business.

Working closely with TELUS, Apple, Cisco, Microsoft and other partners the organization is now into the second year of a five-year IT Roadmap to upgrade its infrastructure and systems, which includes the adoption of integrated cloud-based solutions for voice/data, telecom, human resources, financial, clinical information systems, mobile devices and security.

Upgrading Technology to Better Serve Clients

Kinark is in the process of upgrading the technology across the agency in partnership with TELUS in order to provide better services to our staff and clients. During this process, TELUS has learned more about the work we do and how their technological solutions are helping  us to improve the services and supports we provide to children, youth and their families. To showcase Kinark’s partnership with TELUS, the following video was produced by TELUS, with the assistance of Kinark staff across several of our offices. We are pleased to now share it with you.


Tuesday May 3, 2016
Children’s Mental Health Ontario releases 2016 Annual Report Card

TORONTO, May 3, 2016 – Children’s Mental Health Ontario has released their 2nd Annual Report Card on the current state of Ontario’s child and youth mental health system that  features new data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

Most notable is new data that shows now one in four children are having mental health issues by the time they are 18 years of age. This is up from the previous, one in five statistic. Also notable is a 54 per cent increase in emergency department visits and a 60 per cent increase hospitalizations for children and youth seeking mental health treatment.


Monday April 20, 2015
Children’s Mental Health Week: Triple P parenting expert & parent available for interview

TORONTO, ON, April 20, 2015
Parents who use positive parenting strategies in their day-to-day interactions with their families often find that their children are not the only ones to benefit.
Read More


Monday May 6, 2013
Kinark Child and Family Services Launches ‘Rise Against Stigma’ Campaign

MARKHAM, ON, May 6, 2013 /CNW/
On Friday, Kinark Child and Family Services launched its ‘Rise Against Stigma’, online campaign to recognize Children’s Mental Health Week, which occurs from Monday, May 6 to Sunday, May 12, 2013.
Read More


Monday May 6, 2013
Parents Invited to Free Presentation on Tuesday, May 7: “Understanding Mood Problems in Children and Adolescents: From Mood Swings to Depression and Bipolar Disorder”

PETERBOROUGH, ON, May 6, 2013 /CNW/
Peterborough Healthy Families invites parents and caregivers to a free presentation entitled, “Understanding Mood Problems in Children and Adolescents: From Mood Swings to Depression and Bipolar Disorder” on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Peterborough Public Library.
Read More


Thursday May 2, 2013
Jelisa Clarke and Ron Bartley receive 22nd Annual Krista Sepp Memorial Awards

MARKHAM, ON, May 2, 2013 /CNW/
On May, 2, 2013, Ron Bartley, Senior Child and Youth Worker, Hincks-Dellcrest Centre, and Jelisa Clarke, Child and Youth Counsellor, Vanier Children’s Services, received the 2013 Krista Sepp Memorial Awards in recognition of their service to children and families.
Read More


Tuesday May 8, 2012
Kinark takes aim at bullying with Children’s Mental Health Week video and photo contest

MARKHAM, ON, May 8, 2012 /CNW/
Kinark Child and Family Services is stopping the stigma and starting a conversation about Children’s Mental Health with Facebook photo and video contests during Children’s Mental Health Week (CMHW) May 6 to 12. Read More


Kinark In the News

May 7, 2021Demand for children’s mental health help grows amid the pandemic

CTV News Barrie

Experts in children’s mental health are concerned that the demand for help during the pandemic has increased. In Barrie, both the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and Kinark Child and Family Services say clients seek more help to cope with the pandemic.

To read the full article, click here. 


May 6, 2021Kids in crisis: Inside Ontario’s overloaded mental-health system 

TVO.org

TVO.org investigates what happens to youth when a strained mental-health system meets a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. According to Cynthia Weaver, chief operating officer of the community-based mental-health provider Kinark Child and Family Services, a number of the children the organization works with haven’t managed well virtually. “For some youth who have fairly significant and complex mental-health issues, they really need to connect in person,” she says. “And when they get into crisis, they really do need that individual support within the same room as them.” 

To read the full article, click here 


April 29, 2021Canada and Ontario Invest over $44 M in Improved Culture, Recreation, and Green Infrastructure in Partnership with 15 Communities Across Ontario

Ministry of Infrastructure 

The Kinark Outdoor Centre (KOC) will receive nearly $1.5 million in grant funding from the Ministry of Infrastructure. This grant is part of a $13 million joint federal and provincial government partnership to improve local cultural and recreational facilities in Ontario through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. To read more about how the funds will be used at the KOCclick here. 


December 7, 2020Supporting Children’s Mental Health This Winter

Global News

Children are dealing with the pandemic too. As numerous children’s wellness agencies put efforts into mental health awareness, we speak with Cynthia Weaver of Kinark Child and Family Services. Together we look into some of the ways our children express mental health issues, how parents can help kids navigate the winter months ahead, and list of some of the helpful resources in the community and online. Watch the video.


July 28, 2017Autism Ontario Summer Camp Focuses on Fun

Toronto Star
At Camp AOK, kids with autism can take a break from everyday challenges, let loose and just be kids. Read one youth’s story about how the camp, including visits to the Kinark Outdoor Centre, help him do exactly this.
Read More

To learn more about the Kinark Outdoor Centre, go here: http://www.koc.on.ca/.

To learn more about Autism Ontario, go here: http://www.autismontario.com.


December 21, 2015 – MHCC Conference Conference: Improving mental health outcomes for emerging adults

Mental Health Commission of Canada
In November, the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Consensus Conference on the Mental Health of Emerging Adults brought together emerging adults, families, service providers, and policy makers from across the country to develop recommendations for improving the mental health of emerging adults living in Canada. The panel, delegates, and 16-person jury, including Kinark’s President and CEO, Cathy Paul, presented draft guiding principles and an initial set of recommendations for improving mental health outcomes for emerging adults.
Read More


November 15, 2013Change stigma over mental health: Researcher

Peterborough Examiner
Dr. Heather Stuart, Bell Canada Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair, gave a public lecture about the impact of media stereotypes of mental illness on the attitudes and beliefs of the general public and children. Dr. Stuart’s lecture is the first of a series four on children’s mental health, presented by the Healthy Families Centre Community Partners, including Kinark Child and Family Services.
Read More


May 7, 2013 –  Students Learn About Bullying and Mental Health

CHEX Television Peterborough
Jacob Wilson and Jessica Vallentyne, Kinark Child and Family Services youth ambassadors, took the Rise Against Stigma Campaign on the road to Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School students in Peterborough, Ontario. They shared their experiences overcoming mental illness and bullying.


May 8, 2013Teens Share their Stories of Overcoming Depression, Bullying and Mental Health Challenges

Peterborough Examiner
Jacob Wilson, 18, of Barrie, and Jessica Vallentyne, 23, of Keswick, former client of Kinark Child and Family Services, spoke to Grade 10 students at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School about their experiences overcoming mental illness and bullying.
Read More


May 9, 2013Children’s Mental Health

CBC Radio Metro Morning
As a part of Kinark Child and Family Services’ Rise Against Stigma campaign, Jessica Vallentyne, one of Kinark’s youth ambassadors, spoke to CBC Radio Metro Morning’s Matt Galloway in Toronto about how she overcame her struggle with childhood depression, anxiety and suicidal tendencies.
Listen


May 10, 2013Children’s Mental Health

CBC Radio Metro Morning
As a part of Kinark Child and Family Services Rise Against Stigma campaign, Jacob Wilson, one of Kinark’s youth ambassadors, spoke to Matt Galloway of CBC Radio Metro Morning in Toronto about how he overcame his struggle of being bullied to the point of attempting suicide.
Listen


May 13, 2013Dealing with Mental Health

CBC Radio Metro Morning
Kinark Child and Family Services social worker, Vickie Dickinson, spoke to Matt Galloway of CBC Radio’s Metro Morning about how we are helping kids/youth find tools they need to cope with mental health struggles.
Listen