Meet our funding recipients who are building a more equitable and inclusive child and youth mental health and addictions system

We are thrilled to announce the recipients of our Innovation Initiatives grant!

Right now, our mental health system doesn’t work for everyone. If you work in the field, you might have seen what this looks like and know that systemic inequities influence when, where and how people seek and access care. Our sector needs to make sure there are culturally responsive programs across the province to serve our communities effectively.

Adapting programs to meet the needs of racialized children, young people and their families is one step towards better meeting them where they are. That’s where our Innovation Initiative grants come in.

Each recipient will be working to implement and evaluate culturally responsive child and youth mental health and addictions programs in Ontario:

• CAFCAN – Caribbean, African Canadian Social Services – is modifying the SNAP program to better meet the needs of Black children and young people.
• Vanier Children’s Mental Wellness is building on CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) to add storytelling elements that include the whole family, better supporting families from Middle Eastern countries.
• Linck is leveraging partnerships to explore how best to provide trauma-informed mental health services for Muslim immigrant and refugee children, young people, and families.
• New Path is adapting an evidence-based program to be more culturally informed by Indigenous knowledge, wisdom, and expertise.
• Child & Youth Milopemahtesewin Services is offering cultural teachings, language learning, arts activities, and land-based learning in a safe environment to promote mental wellbeing.

Learn more on our Innovation webpage!