When Alex (a pseudonym) contacted the Youth Wellness Centre (YWC) in 2016, they were struggling with gender identity and the toll it was taking on their mental health. Alex had suppressed their feelings about being trans for years. The clinician Alex worked with introduced them to someone at the centre with experience in transitioning. The meeting and ongoing mental health support that followed helped to start a process of acceptance and change for Alex.
“Having a place where you feel like your identity isn’t something you have to worry about means the world,” says Alex, who now works at the YWC to support youth aging out of the child/adolescent mental health system and into the adult system. In 2015, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton opened the doors of the YWC in downtown Hamilton to provide a safe place for young people aged 17 to 25 to access expert and compassionate mental health and substance use care.
Mental health and addictions struggles tend to emerge in this age group, but young people don’t always recognize the problem nor do they reach out for help, according to Lisa Jeffs, YWC program manager. The most common issues are struggles with anxiety and depression, and during the pandemic, the incidences of eating disorders and suicidality also went up.
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YWC services are customized to individual needs beginning with an assessment, and then counselling, peer support, family support and education, psychiatric consultation, and group therapy may be offered. Staff can help navigate community mental health services and programs, and substance use counselling is available in the same space through Alternatives for Youth.
“We don’t dictate what individuals have to do,” says Dr. Maiko Schneider, psychiatrist at the YWC. “We provide support and understanding about mental health so they can see where they need support and whether they’re ready to engage in treatment. A big component of treatment is accepting that you’re going through something, and not stigmatizing yourself for having that condition or struggling with a diagnosis.”
Here’s what the centre provides:
• Early intervention: The goal is to reach young people when they first identify their mental health and addiction needs. “The earlier mental illness is treated, the better the outcome for that young person,” says Dr. Schneider.
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• Transition support: Coaches help youth that are transitioning from the child/adolescent mental health system to the adult one. “The adult system is a lot different, and we step in and try to support youth through all of the changes,” says Jeffs.
• Re-engagement: This service was developed for young people who have disengaged the adult mental system. It reassesses their needs and connects them to the right services.
• Mobile outreach: YWCservices are provided on campus at McMaster University, Mohawk College, and Redeemer University College, and to street-involved youth.
• YouThrive: This service provides peer support and culturally responsive care to patients who are Black, Indigenous and People of Colour in dealing with mental health concerns, with a focus on the impact of racism on mental health.
• Support for transgender youth: A primary care clinic is held once a week for gender-affirming care with peer support and help to access further care, if needed.
The centre accepts self-referrals as well as referrals from family/friends, medical professionals and youth mental health and substance use service providers. For more information, visit www.reachouthamilton.ca.
Philanthropy has been essential to enabling St. Joe’s to expand its mental health and addictions care programs, renew its treatment facilities, and fund ground-breaking health research, too. To make a gift to support mental health care in your community, please visit stjoesfoundation.ca/donate or call St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation at 905-521-6036.
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YWC fights hate and intolerance
Marginalized youth are at higher risk for mental health struggles because of the discrimination and stigma they face. This population consists of individuals experiencing homelessness, those struggling with substance use, racialized populations, 2SLGBTQAI+ and Indigenous populations and those who immigrate and are newcomers in Canada. “Hate and intolerance are on the rise and marginalized youth are often targets,” says Lisa Jeffs, YWC program manager. “Being discriminated against and experiencing racism or transphobia can hugely impact mental health. At the YWC, we feel that we all have a responsibility to change that and make our world an inclusive place.”
