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For families

How is a referral made?
 
A written referral outlining the clinical symptoms and referral question is required from the referring physician or mental health centre. All referrals are reviewed by the clinic director and team members at a weekly intake meeting.  If a referral is not accepted, the family and referring physician will be informed by letter and recommendations for more appropriate resources will be provided.

What happens once a referral is accepted?
 
Once accepted, the child is put on the clinic waiting list to see one of the clinicians (usually a child psychiatrist) for an assessment. Children and adolescents are booked based on the severity of their condition as well as the date of the referral. Emphasis is given to providing timely treatment. However, non-urgent requests for second opinions on chronic cases may have to wait longer for assessment.
 
Once a referral is accepted, pre-assessment questionnaires are sent home for the family and the child's school to complete. These questionnaires must be returned by mail before the first appointment, as they provide helpful information for the clinician in the assessment. A request is also made to the referring physician or mental health team, and the parents, for all previous psychiatric or psychological assessments, medical reports, and psycho-educational reports, so that the clinician can review them before the first appointment.
 
What happens if the referral is not accepted?
 
The referring physician or mental health care team will be notified about referrals that are not accepted, by telephone and/or letter, and alternate resources will be suggested where possible.
 
Who will be involved in the initial assessment?
 
Clinicians: The clinic staff includes four child psychiatrists, a psychologist and a social worker. The initial assessments are usually done by one of the psychiatrists, but other members may be involved depending on the situation.
 
Family: All the family members living with the child are requested to attend the first appointment. During this appointment the entire family is usually seen at some point, and the child is also interviewed separately. Referral information and questionnaires are reviewed and clarified with the child and family. The initial appointment may range in length from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. In some cases, two or three appointments may be required to complete the basic assessment.
 
When the assessment is complete, the clinician will discuss the findings with the child or adolescent and family. Generally, this will include a diagnosis and a specific plan for further assessment, or recommendations for further treatment and intervention, with suggestions for where this might take place.  A report will be prepared and sent to the appropriate people.
 
Support groups for young people and families
 
Groups for creative worriers:

 Groups for young people with mood disorders

To make referrals for these support programs, a group referral must be completed, along with a recent psychiatric assessment and an agreement from the client’s therapist or doctor to provide support, if necessary, during the group, and to follow up afterwards.