A strategic alteration in the service provider for a youth mental health crisis program in Windsor-Essex is set to streamline treatment processes and better accommodate teenagers’ needs.
Presently, adolescents seeking assistance for mental health crises at Windsor Regional Hospital’s Metropolitan campus emergency room are attended to by social workers from the Regional Children’s Centre. Under this program, social workers are available to assist children and youth facing mental health challenges from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., with on-call availability during weekends and holidays.
However, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare (HDGH), the overseeing entity for the children’s center and the primary agency for mental health care in the region, notes that the center primarily serves individuals aged 12 and under, a demographic misaligned with the majority of young people seeking help at the emergency room.
Since 2021, HDGH reports that 73 percent of those engaging with its social workers fall within the age bracket of 13 to 15 years old.
To address this discrepancy, starting April 1, the social worker program will be administered through Maryvale, Windsor’s mental health treatment center catering specifically to youth aged 13 to 17.
Lori Kempe, executive lead for child and youth mental health at HDGH, underscores the smooth transition this change will offer children and youth necessitating additional services following their initial visit to the emergency department.
This shift ensures that older adolescents receive care from social workers equipped with specialized expertise tailored to their age group.
Moreover, Kempe envisions the possibility of expanded operational hours for the crisis program at Maryvale as a result of this transition.
Emphasizing the pressing demand for such services, Kempe highlights the significant number of children grappling with mental health crises in the region, particularly those with complex needs. She estimates an average of 400 child and youth patients accessing emergency room services in Windsor annually.
