A number of agencies who provide child and youth mental health services across Niagara have made a joint commitment to put families at the table as they continue to enhance how services are offered.

Core Service Providers (CSP), which include Pathstone Mental Health, Niagara Health, Contact Niagara, and Centre de Santé together, have outlined how Niagara will co-plan services with families, and allow accountability to those commitments.  The aim is for a more fulsome children’s mental health system with families who are engaged in the process.

This is extremely exciting news for families and groundbreaking work being done in Niagara.  Providing an opportunity for families to be meaningful partners in system planning allows them to make an impact and influence child and youth mental health services now and in the future.

Sarah Cannon, Family Engagement Lead at Pathstone Mental Health

Steps are already in place, with the creation of a Regional Advisory. This team is made up of families who have already navigated the system. Their goal is to provide a voice, valued input and guidance to mental health providers.

Contact Niagara is thrilled to be a part of this formal commitment to family engagement, one that allocates resources and embeds family engagement in a clear and accountable way in all aspects of our work.

Nadine Wallace, Executive Director at Contact Niagara

 To find out more about the Regional Advisory and to get involved, visit https://pathstonementalhealth.ca/volunteer/regional-advisory/