Blog
Ontario Budget demonstrates a strong commitment to mental health and addiction: statement by Children’s Mental Health Ontario CEO, Tatum Wilson
TORONTO, March 23, 2023 -- "We are pleased that today’s budget commits significant new funding to mental health and addictions. These investments are critical to begin to stabilize community child and youth mental health and address the growing demand for mental health care services in Ontario. The new investments of $425 million into mental health and addictions, as well as the commitment to...
Black Mental Health Week 2023
Black Mental Health Week is a yearly event focused on amplifying Black voices and raising awareness about the historical and ongoing impact that systemic, anti-Black racism has on the mental health and wellness of Black communities. This year’s partners, TAIBU Community Health Centre, Tropicana Community Services and Strides Toronto are hosting Black Mental Health Week events that will take...
Kids Can’t Wait: Vicki’s Story
Ontario is facing a kids’ mental health crisis. To raise awareness, we are sharing stories from families who are a part of our Parents for Children’s Mental Health peer support chapters. These are real parents, real children – and real issues. Our kids can’t wait anymore for mental health care. Families should be able to access kids’ mental health treatments wherever they are, when they need it....
Kids Can’t Wait: Sarah’s Story
Ontario is facing a kids' mental health crisis. To raise awareness, we are sharing stories from families who are a part of our Parents for Children's Mental Health peer support chapters. These are real parents, real children - and real issues. Our kids can't wait anymore for mental health care. Families should be able to access kids' mental health treatments wherever they are, when they need it....
Kids Can’t Wait: Laura’s Story
Ontario is facing a kids' mental health crisis. To raise awareness, we are sharing stories from families who are a part of our Parents for Children's Mental Health peer support chapters. These are real parents, real children - and real issues. Our kids can't wait anymore for mental health care. Families should be able to access kids' mental health treatments wherever they are, when they need it....
Black Mental Health Week 2022
Black Mental Health Week raises awareness about the historical and ongoing impact that systemic, anti-Black racism has on the mental health and wellness of Black communities. Within the child and youth mental health sector, Black children, youth, and families continue to face systemic barriers to accessing safe and culturally appropriate mental health services that are created with an...
Skyrocketing Demands for Kids Mental Health Services
The pandemic has pushed demand for children and youth mental health services through the roof in Ontario. Even before COVID-19, kids struggled to get access to timely care for mental health issues. Today, child and youth mental health centres are overwhelmed by the sheer number of young people needing help for serious and complex problems like eating disorders, self-harm and suicide attempts. As...
More Severe Mental Health Issues Reported in Kids
Last year, Toronto mother, Lianne, noticed her 15-year-old daughter, Hadley, was hardly eating. Ever since the pandemic had cut her off from friends at school and karate class, the teen had become increasingly focused inward on her appearance. Lianne took Hadley for a medical examination. Her doctor discovered Hadley’s heart rate was so low that she was rushed to Toronto’s Hospital for Sick...
Schools are open, but kids’ mental health is still in crisis
Ontario schools have reopened, but the kids—and their mental health–are still in crisis. While in-person learning is critical to a young person’s development, reopening schools does not magically solve the long-standing problems in kids’ mental health care. Children and youth mental health is in a state of emergency in Ontario. Prior to the pandemic, 28,000 kids were on wait lists across...
Responding to Omicron, CMHO Update
As we start the new year, our province finds itself in a very stressful phase of the pandemic. For many of us, it’s been overwhelming trying to keep up with rapidly changing news and policies that directly impact us, particularly when it comes to information about schools. For the last 20 months, children and their families have repeatedly tried to make the best of these difficult situations. ...