Toronto, ON, July 29, 2020:

Children’s Mental Health Ontario supports the Government of Ontario’s new vision for child welfare in the hope that once implemented some of our most vulnerable children will have much better outcomes than they do now.

“The mental health of some of our most vulnerable children will be improved if we are successfully strengthening families. Marginalized families fundamentally need their basic needs met like housing, food and childcare, to support the mental wellbeing of their family,” said Kim Moran, CEO of Children’s Mental Health Ontario. “Timely access to mental health treatment for both children and their families is a key part of this plan and we will continue to advocate for government investments to ensure that all children, but especially our most vulnerable, can receive high quality mental health services where and when they need them.”

Indigenous and Black children and youth are over-represented in the child welfare system and urgent action is needed to end that. Children’s Mental Health Ontario thanks the government for engaging us in the modernization review and design and look forward to continuing to partner with government to ensure the important goals within the plan are met.

Children’s Mental Health Ontario and member child and youth mental health centres are committed to working with Children’s Aid Societies and other community partners to improve outcomes for all children especially those that are most vulnerable, Indigenous and Black children and youth.