A new day program has opened at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie to help students dealing with anxiety or depression.
The mental health program bridges treatment and education for high school students.
“Often teens will get treatment, but we don’t look at how they will transition back into school,” said Brian Irving, a child and youth worker with RVH. “The idea of the program is to help them reintegrate back into school.”
The day program is a partnership between the hospital and the Simcoe County District School Board.
“One year ago, hospital-based mental health services for troubled kids weren’t available anywhere in this region. Since our regional program opened ten months ago, almost 300 young people have been cared for in the eight-bed inpatient unit. We always knew the job wasn’t finished,” said RVH president and CEO Janice Skot.
Students will be referred to the program by their schools and will divide their time between recreational therapy, counselling, and schoolwork by completing courses online.
Dr. Eric Mulder is a psychiatrist and says streamlining treatment “encompasses their education and family life.”
Four students are registered in the program that begins on Friday, and six more are expected to register by the end of the month.
RVH officials predict the program will help up to three thousand teens every year.
