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[4]By Graham Whittaker [5]
Children’s Mental Health Services’ [6] walk-in clinic saw its largest intake of teens in their fourth and final quarter of 2019.
Between October and end of December, the clinic served 33 youth between the ages of 13 and 17, making up 69% of what they had seen annually in that age group, according to their statistics report.
The walk-in clinic serves as a way for minors in need of support to receive free counselling if they are not affiliated with the agency or if they are still on the waitlist.
The agency’s community manager, Nancy Hamilton, says that this trend is typical.
“The summer is quieter,” she said. “October is when it gets really busy and I think it’s because people have started back to school.”
She says that this trend is expected to continue until the middle of June and the end of the school year.
Hamilton says students at this age face the stress that comes with starting or returning to high school. So for many this means diving into a brand new environment or finding it difficult to get back into the groove.
“They’re now back into their routines,” she said. “Some of the concerns or issues seem to be a bit more prevalent for families because kids are in schools and they might be struggling.”
In terms of referrals, schools are the single biggest source for how those in need of support hear about the agency’s services. According to statistics, 25 of CMHS’s clients were referred to the clinic through their schools.
“Other people might notice some of the worries and concerns and recommend that they come to the walk-in clinic,” she said.
Their statistics show that students who are referred to CMHS are struggling with things like learning difficulties, ADHD, behavioural issues and bullying among other school related issues.
“Sometimes kids can be within a school environment and dealing with being bullied and although other parts of their lives are going really well, they don’t know what to do with that particular issue,” she said.
Their walk-in clinic takes place on Wednesdays from noon until 6 p.m. at their office at 3 Applewood Dr. Suite 300.