Day Treatment Services
Day Treatment Services are offered to children and youth whose complex mental health needs cannot be addressed by the regular school system. The program is designed to meet the needs of children/youth and their families experiencing a variety of social, emotional, behavioural, and academic difficulties. These difficulties often include problems such as:
- anger management
- oppositional/defiant behaviour
- conduct disorder
- attention difficulties
- conflict with the law
- anxiety
- psychiatric difficulties
- family conflict
- learning disabilities
- school refusal/avoidance
Referrals must be made directly by parents, caregivers, or the child/youth’s legal guardian.
The York Centre offers treatment services designed to assist these children/youth to cope more effectively at school, home, and in the community. Children/youth admitted to the day treatment program attend each day Monday through Friday, for the entire day from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (except on Wednesdays when the day ends at noon). The program mirrors the academic school year in that it begins in September and ends in June of each year.
Though academic programming is one element of the program, the York Centre's Day Treatment Service is not a school program. Rather, the service is a treatment program designed to therapeutically assist children/youth and their families in addressing the issues which led to their being referred to the program. As such, the goals for children/youth in the program typically include their being able to effectively reintegrate into the regular school system, function successfully at home, and cope effectively in the community.
Though school-related difficulties are typically what lead to the referral of a child/youth to Day Treatment Services, children/youth in the program are generally experiencing social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties at home and in the community as well. Thus, the active involvement of the child/youth's parent(s) in treatment is crucial to successful treatment outcomes. As such, all families in the program work with a Family/Social Worker to assist them in addressing problems the child/youth may be experiencing at home and/or in the community. The nature and specifics of issues discussed will vary from family to family but it is a requirement of the program that families be actively involved in treatment.
Children/youth typically remain in the Day Treatment program for one year although this may vary depending on the needs of the child/youth. Planning for successful reintegration into the regular school system begins at the time that the child/youth is admitted to the program.
The Day Treatment Program is divided into two separate groups: the Children's Program and the Youth Program. The Children's Program serves 32 children ranging in age from 4 through 13 years. The children are divided by age into 4 groups. Each group has a Teacher and a Child and Youth Worker.
The Youth Program serves 24 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 19 years. The youth are divided into 4 groups with a Teacher and a Child and Youth Worker assigned to each group.
The specific components of the Day Treatment program are as follows:
Children/youth in the Day Treatment program are generally experiencing social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties not just at school but at home and in the community as well. Thus, the active involvement of the child/youth’s parent(s) in treatment is crucial to successful treatment outcomes. As such, all families in the program are assigned to a Family/Social Worker to assist them in addressing problems their child/youth may be experiencing at home and/or in the community. The nature and specifics of issues discussed will vary from family to family but it is a requirement of the program that families be actively involved in treatment.
There is often a waiting period between the time of referral to Day Treatment Services and the time at which the child/youth is formally admitted to the program. This waiting period can be quite stressful for families who are struggling on a daily basis to cope with the behavioural/emotional challenges of their child/youth. Thus, the York Centre also offers Family/Social Work services to families who are waiting for their child to be formally admitted to a Day Treatment placement. This period of treatment can be of great value to the child/youth and family both in helping them cope with immediate crises and in getting the treatment process started prior to the child/youth’s formal admission to the program.
Another stressful period for children/youth and families involved in the Day Treatment program can be at the time of the child/youth’s discharge from the program. Though the child/youth and family may have made considerable gains in treatment, losing the formal support of the Day Treatment placement and returning to the regular school system on a full time basis can be difficult for children/youth and families. Thus, the York Centre also provides follow-up support through its Family/Social Work Services to assist children/youth and families in maintaining gains which have been made in treatment.
Family/Social Workers offer a variety of services to families based on the identified needs of the child/youth and family. These services include Standard and Enhanced Triple P: ie. evidence-based Positive Parenting Programs to assist parents in developing effective parenting strategies. Family/Social Workers can also work with families experiencing difficulties with issues such as: separation/divorce; unresolved grief/loss; effective co-parenting; sibling conflict; domestic violence, substance abuse; or other issues or family dynamics with which families may be struggling.