Child, Youth & Family Program

The Child, Youth and Family Program (CYFP) provides services for children and adolescents, aged 5 to 18, who are struggling with serious mental health issues. We offer crisis intervention, an inpatient unit and outpatient services.

Crisis Intervention

Families with a child or adolescent experiencing a psychiatric emergency should seek assistance from the Crisis Intervention Team by visiting a Lakeridge Health Emergency Room. Before being seen by the Crisis Intervention Team, all patients must undergo a medical assessment by an ER doctor or by their family physician prior to arriving in ER.

Inpatient Care

If hospitalization is necessary, we offer short-term inpatient care to assess and stabilize the child or youth and educate the family regarding potential diagnoses, management and how to move forward with treatment. Admission to this unit can only be arranged by a psychiatrist.

Urgent Care

If a child or youth does not require inpatient care but has been seen in the ER by the Crisis Intervention Team, they may be followed on a short-term basis by our Urgent Care team or receive a referral to alternative community agencies. If the family becomes part of the Urgent Care Service, they may receive one session with a psychiatrist and up to four sessions with a therapist to address and resolve the immediate crisis. Additional services can be arranged through referrals to other CYFP programs or community agencies. 

Outpatient Services

Intensive Ambulatory Program (IAP)

Sometimes, due to mental health issues, an adolescent is unable to attend school or function in the community. This short-term program (8-12 weeks), which operates Monday to Friday, is designed to stabilize and provide an intensive assessment for the student. The outcomes of this assessment are used to develop next steps for treatment and education, which may involve a transition back to their home school or an alternative setting. While the focus is on treatment, there is an academic component to the program.

Outpatient Program

The Outpatient team consists of Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers and Occupational Therapists. The Outpatient program offers psychiatric consultation, assessment and treatment of mental health issues. Treatment may be provided by individual therapy, group therapy and/or family therapy. Outpatient therapy is offered to children and adolescents who are dealing with:

  • Mood disorders such as Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder;
  • Anxiety disorders such as Separation Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and social phobias;
  • Thoughts of suicide and self-harm;
  • Trauma

The program also provides psychiatric assessment for pervasive development disorder and refers to appropriate community agencies for treatment.

Mindful Awareness Stabilization Training - Guided Meditations

Contact

For more information on the Child Youth & Family Program please contact our main office at 905-576-8711 ext. 34345.

If you are looking for the status of a referral that has been sent please contact our Clinical Care Coordination Team at 905-576-8711 ext. 34365.

Referrals

Health-care providers and patients can:

Please click here to access PDF referral forms. Please note that PDF referral forms are in the process of being phased out and you are strongly encouraged to use the links in the list above.

Directions

From Hospital Court, enter through the main lobby and continue past the food court to the A-wing hallway, located just past the lobby escalators. Turn left into the A-wing hallway and take the A-wing elevator to the third floor. The check-in desk is straight across from the elevator.

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