Succession management has become one of the key strategic imperatives for any business that wishes to survive in today’s highly competitive global environment where human capital is its most important asset. Best practice organizations use succession management to secure the future of the organization and to retain and motivate employees at all levels. This session will provide delegates with a practical example of how Lutherwood has taken the theories of succession management and developed a succession strategy that is working.

Presented by:
Sandra Watt, Chief of Organizational Learning and Development, Lutherwood
Steve Sherrer, Chief Operational Officer, Lutherwood

This workshop will provide participants with an understanding of Collaborative Problem Solving, the research that supports the approach, and how the community transformed its way of interacting with children/youth and caregivers in an effort to provide a consistent approach to addressing the needs of the clients we serve.

Presented by:
Stuart Ablon, Director, Think:Kids Massachusetts General Hospital
Michael Hone, Associate Executive Director, Crossroads Children’s Centre

The Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health brings people and knowledge together to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of mental health services for children, youth and their families and caregivers. Strategically investing in our mental health system requires a strong link to credible, timely research on a wide range of issues. Policy ready papers provide decision makers with credible information rooted in reliable research evidence. Produced in partnership with respected experts, the Centre’s policy ready papers provide precise background information on current and emerging topics of strategic interest.

Brief services were identified as a priority topic through conversations with various leaders in sectors with a stake in child and youth mental health in Ontario. A variety of short term interventions have already been implemented in child and youth mental health agencies in Ontario, including walk-in clinics, quick access services, and the application of collaborative, strength-based models such as Solution-Focused and Narrative therapies. Innovative work has been developed and applied across the province and initial evaluations indicate that brief services are having a positive impact on wait times, clinical outcomes, and client satisfaction. Agencies and practitioners have found that brief services can be both a philosophy of service and a vehicle for treatment that is at once cost-effective and clinically effective. Authors will present research evidence and policy recommendations from the policy ready paper Brief Services in Children’s Mental Health – A Key Strategy for System Transformation. Participants will learn about key research findings on brief services and evidence-informed policy recommendations related to implementing brief services as a strategy and vehicle for efficient and effective service provision. 

Panellists:
Jim Duvall, Director, Training, The Hincks-Dellcrest Centre, The Gail Appel Institute, and Director, Brief Therapy Training Centres International

Karen Young, Manager, Clinical Services, Manager, Training and Development, Reach Out Centre for Kids, and Training/Research Faculty Member, Brief Therapy Centres International

Angela Kays-Burden, Director, Innovative Practice, Reach Out Centre for Kids

Facilitators:
Charlie Carter, Program Associate, Knowledge Exchange, Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health

Purnima Sundar, Director, Knowledge Exchange, Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health

Participants will learn how Children’s Mental Health, Child Welfare, Public Health and Addiction Services worked to develop this unique program. Participants will experience the steps, strengths and challenges and understand how to take a similar approach.

Presented by: 
Cathy Thomas, Clinical Manager, Therapist, ROCK Reach Out Centre for Kids
Teena Shah, Supervisor, Halton Children’s Aid Society
Paula D’Orazio, Public Health Nurse, Halton Region Early Years Health Program
Heather MacDonald, Hope Place Centres
Debbie Todt, Parent Educator, ROCK, OEYC

The transformation of the “Problem Solving Model” followed by the Niagara Catholic District School Board, particularly the development of a joint rotocol between the Board, Contact Niagara, and Pathstone Mental Health, provides an example of collaboration that made innovative use of school-based resources and successfully integrated two key Ministry initiatives.

Presented by:
Kaarina Vogin, Executive Director, Contact Niagara
Bill Helmeczi, Director, Mental Health Services, Pathstone Mental Health
Ken Lococo, Behaviour Resource Teacher, Niagara Catholic District School Board 

Community-wide model for school-based addictions counseling: how funders, school boards and service providers are working together to achieve collective impact and getting it done in Ottawa.

School Evaluation Program (PDF, 29 pages)
Traditional View of Women (PDF, 4pages)

This workshop will focus on the experiences of two amalgamation efforts. The speakers will share their lived experiences in providing leadership to the process of amalgamation through the planning, development and implementation of leading practices and strategies. Different approaches were undertaken and valuable lessons learned will be shared with participants. The workshop will begin with information to frame the experiences of the presenters and will close with a summary of best practices when leading an amalgamation or similar organizational change. Participants will be provided with the opportunity to ask questions of all presenters at this workshop.

Presented by:
Catherine Simunovic, Quality Assurance Manager, North Eastern Ontario Family and Children’s Services
Rada Deletic, Quality Improvement Coordinator, North Eastern Ontario Family and Children’s Services
Lothar Liehmann, Executive Director, Craigwood Youth Services
Fred Galloway, F.J. Galloway Associates Inc.

Directors and officers liability is a topic that doesn’t get adequate attention. Organizations face a dizzying array of laws, policies and regulations. The landscape is constantly shifting and evolving, leaving organizations exposed to significant risks. Employment practices liability, human rights tribunals and cyber risks are three key areas of risk directors and officers are faced with.

Presented by:
Patrick Cruikshank, Manager, Specialty Risk – Professional Liability, Northbridge Insurance

Little is known about the effectiveness of brief services. The present meta-analysis supports the effectiveness of brief psychotherapy and identifies characteristics associated with the most success. These findings underscore the need for further research into brief psychotherapy, which could significantly reduce costs and waiting lists while improving quality of care.

Presented by:
Alain Carlson, Research Assistant, Behavioural Health Sciences Lab, Nipissing University
David Armstrong, Psychologist, Hands TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca

Total Clinical Outcomes Management (TCOM) is a practical and theoretical application of Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) to support change at the personal, program and system level. It is being implemented world-wide and the workshop will profile Haliburton’s application of some aspects which have been transformational.

Presented by:
Marg Cox, Executive Director, Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth and Parents
John Lyons, Professor and Endowed Chair, University of Ottawa, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario

Integrated Services Delivered at the Neighbourhood Level: Hamilton’s ‘Check It Out‘Drop-Ins. Hamilton’s Best Start Strategy has been working successfully to leverage existing resources across sectors to provide increased access to services to better meet the holistic needs of children and families. Valuable lessons learned on the process of delivering the right services in the right locations at the right times.

Presented by:
Wanda St-Francois, Executive Director, Affiliated Services for Children and Youth
Grace Mater, Early Years Systems Manager, Social Development and Early Childhood Service Division, Community Services Department, City of Hamilton
Marion Trent-Kratz, Early Years Senior Research Advisor, City of Hamilton

In 2011 LOFT Community Services undertook a radical restructuring of its youth services, in order to create a new model of service for transitional age youth. It reduced five programs to three and created an integrated, cross-sectoral model of service.

This highly participatory workshop will examine the themes of:
1. risk, innovation and perseverance,
2. impact research,
3. the challenges of implementing a consistent service model based on resiliency, recovery, and peer support.

Presented by:
Heather McDonald, Director, Adult and Youth Services, LOFT Community Services

STARS, a program for LBGTTQ youth, designed a drug education program based on best practice principles which combined information, skills and community learning. We will discuss evaluation methods being used including the community-based learning which provides staff an opportunity to target the curriculum to the most pressing challenges the youth we serve face.

Presented by:
Enid Grant, Director, Intensive Services and Partnerships, Delisle Youth Services
Deborah Goodman, Director, Child Welfare Institute, Children’s Aid Society of Toronto
Maria Papadimitriou, Coordinator, The STARS Project, Delisle Youth Services

The Systems Improvement through Service Collaboratives (SISC) initiative, sponsored by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, will improve access and coordination for
children, youth and adults with mental health and addictions problems in regions across Ontario. We will provide an overview, update on progress and lessons learned to date.

Presented by:
Rob Moore, Executive Director, Provincial System Support Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health 

This presentation will discuss the processes undertaken by researchers at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) tasked to create an evaluation framework and baseline scorecard for Ontario’s Child and Youth Mental Health and Addiction Strategy. Areas of focus will include: evaluation framework and baseline scorecard components, challenges around measuring system change, and ICES’ multi-sectorial data strategy.

Presented by:
Astrid Guttmann, Senior Scientist, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences
John Cairney, Associate Professor, Departments of Family Medicine, Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, and Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University
Paul Kurdyak, Adjunct Scientist, ICES, and Clinical Director, Emergency Crisis Services, Head of Research, Centralized Assessment, Triage and Support Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

The impact of workplace stress and vicarious trauma exposure places a critical burden on the health of those working in the children’s mental health field and on their organizations. This presentation will provide a clear understanding of the complex issues and will introduce practical and effective approaches.

Presented by:
Patricia Fisher, President, Fisher & Associates

Tele-Link Mental Health has created a mental health program stretching across service and jurisdictional boundaries within Children’s Mental Health to support and promote a seamless model of service delivery. Through strategic alliances and partnerships with other organizations and service providers, Tele-Link enables mental health support on multiple levels providing clients with a continuum of services while promoting enhanced community capacity, locally based resources, research and education. Tele-Link invites clients, families and service agencies to the table to help create a patient-centred, community-based mental health plan focused on timely, equitable, results-oriented service delivery.

Presented by:
David Willis, Clinical Program Manager, Tele-Link Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children
Tony Pignatiello, Medical Director, Tele-Link Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children

Many children are identified with special needs but are without culturally appropriate services. We will discuss Native Child and Family Services of Toronto’s journey in bridging the gaps in its services and in developing a comprehensive mental health service model tailored for Aboriginal children and families.

Presented by:
Steve Lough, President, Steve Lough & Associates Ltd.
Kenn Richard, Executive Director, Native Child and Family Services of Toronto
David Barnes, President, Barnes Management Group

This workshop will describe an innovative partnership, between the Toronto East Local Immigration Partnership and Aisling Discoveries, to better serve newcomer communities in Scarborough. Drawing on needs assessments, service networking and newcomer community inputs, the presenters will outline findings garnered, key outputs, barriers exposed and solutions proposed to promote children’s mental health.

Presented by:
Leigh Armour, Child and Family Therapist, Aisling Discoveries Child and Family Centre
Martin Kengo, Toronto East Quadrant Local Immigration Partnership Officer

Maryvale’s Acute Mental Health Bed Program is an off-site program operated by Windsor Regional Hospital on the grounds of Maryvale Adolescent and Family Services, a Children’s Mental Health Treatment Centre. The program provides comprehensive mental health assessments and service referrals, and partners with community schools.

Presented by:
Matt Brooks, Residential Treatment Supervisor, Supervisor, School Liaison Service, Maryvale Adolescent and Family Services

In April 2013, the Psychotherapy Act, 2007 and its associated regulations will become law in Ontario. Thereafter, “psychotherapy” will be a controlled act, which only members of certain regulated health professions can perform, and “psychotherapist” will become a restricted title that can only be used by members of certain regulated health professions. In this session, CMHO’s legal consultant will review the implications of this legislation for children’s mental health centres and their staff, who may be required to change the manner in which they deliver therapy or to seek membership with the new College of Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario (CPRMHTO).
Psychotherapy Act Registration Decision Tree (PDF, 1 pages) 

Presented by:
Lonny Rosen, Rosen Sunshine LLP

This workshop will profile the transformational work that is underway in Haliburton, City of Kawartha Lakes and Muskoka between Trillium Lakelands District School Board and three Children’s Mental Health agencies. Partners have worked collaboratively to establish standardized responses and protocols to address the needs of youth experiencing acute behavioural/mental health crisis.

Presented by:
Shelley Woon, Superintendent of Special Education and Safe Schools, Trillium Lakelands District School Board
Niki Worton, Project Manager, Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth and Parents
Margaret Rose-Jackson, Executive Director, Chimo Youth and Family Services
Marty Rutledge, Executive Director, Family, Youth and Child Services of Muskoka

This presentation will review Ottawa Public Health’s child and youth mental health promotion and suicide prevention strategy and its vital community partnerships. The strategy development, a review of the key initiatives within the strategy and progress made to date, including outcomes and evaluation results, will be discussed.

Presented by:
Benjamin Leikin, Mental Health Project Officer, Ottawa Public Health
Joanne Lowe, Executive Director, Youth Services Bureau
Michael Hone, Associate Executive Director, Crossroads Children’s Centre

NOTE: When you get to both "Partner Presentations" slides, please double click on the slide to view their content

The York ASD Partnership is facilitating collaboration and systems change to open doors to children’s mental health services for people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in York Region. Often Children’s Mental Health services feel insufficiently equipped to serve people on the Autism Spectrum, however, many people living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder experience co-occurring mental health issues and need these supports.

Presented by:
Neil Walker, Project Manager, York ASD Partnership
Cindy Buick, Parent of a youth with an ASD, York ASD Partnership

Effective Integrated Case Management is a service delivery philosophy that coordinates multiple professionals. This session will explore researched best practice principles in creating effective, coordinated multi-practitioner service delivery using a Family Preservation service model to highlight how this can be implemented across agencies and disciplines when dealing with child protection issues.

Integrated Case Management Working with Families Challenged by Child Protection Issues Bibliography (PDF, 3 pages) 

Presented by:
Chris Burt, Clinical Director, Hollyburn Family Services

The impact of workplace stress carries a tremendous burden for workers and employers alike. Workers suffer ill health, diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health conditions, and the effects detract from their quality of life. For employers, stress impacts cause economic losses due to absenteeism, illness and injuries, productivity loss, and create an overall negative work environment. This workshop will discuss a project in which workers set out to identify factors at work that most affected their self-reported health outcomes using a questionnaire, and will report on the action and process that followed identification of those concerns.

Short-Self-Scoring-Question (PDF, 11 Pages)
Self-Scoring Answer Sheet (PDF, 4 Pages)

Presented by:
Terri Aversa, Health and Safety Officer, Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)
John Oudyk, Occupational Hygienist, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW)

The Canadian Centre for Accreditation (CCA), a national non-profit, accredits a wide range of community-based human service organizations including child and youth mental health services, credit counselling, community-based primary health care, family services, community mental health and addiction, community support services and child welfare. The structure of the accreditation system is modular, tailored to the specific services and programs that each organization delivers. CCA will be developing standards modules for other kinds of community based services in the near future.

CCA accreditation is designed to be integral to an organization’s ongoing quality improvement strategies and to support community organizations to meet value-added goals that go beyond achieving accreditation. 

In this session learn how CCA’s values and approach are rooted in community service delivery combining clear and transparent expectations with a responsive assessment approach that recognizes the varied realities of community service organizations – with their different communities, sizes, settings, service offerings and funding.

Presented by:
Barbara Wiktorowicz, Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Accreditation
Gail Vandermeulen, Acting Director of Standards & Services, Children’s Mental Health Ontario

Access to service is one of the key foci of Ontario’s Child and Youth Mental Health strategy and Walk-In service Models are at the frontier of this new push. This session will feature three exciting Walk-in  Models that are underway and which feature not only the immediate access innovation but also high inter-agency collaboration to meet community needs at a single access point. These three programs will be presented: Tangerine (Associated Youth Services of Peel, Peel Children’s Centre and Rapport Youth Services), Front Door (KidsLink and Lutherwood) and What’s Up Walk-In (East Metro, Oolagen and Yorktown). The presentations will focus on complex partnership management, marketing  to community, language considerations in diverse communities, staff training for the paradigm shift, the consultation delivery model, what people are looking for and outcomes. Presenters will combine qualitative information from lived-experience together with quantitative data. Can Walk-In add to the service capacities in your community? Session attendees will leave with a greater sense of possibilities at the strategic and tactical levels.

Walk-in Services P. James (PDF, 3 pages)

Presented by:
David O’Brien, East Metro Youth Services, on behalf of East Metro Youth Services, Oolagen and Yorktown
Lesley Barraball, Lutherwood, on behalf of Lutherwood and kidsLINK
Pamela James, Associated Youth Services of Peel, on behalf of Associated Youth Services of Peel, Rapport Youth and Family Services and Peel Children’s Centre

This presentation will provide an overview of two models of brief services. STP-CMH is a 5 session model that assesses, triages, and provides minimally sufficient intervention for common children’s mental health concerns. Externalizing Metaphors is a 4 session model for dysphoria using a narrative/metaphor therapy tradition.

Presented by:
David Armstrong, Chief Psychologist, Upper Canada District School Board, and  Director, Behavioural Health Sciences Lab, Nipissing University
Everett McGuinty, Child and Family Therapist, Hands TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca
Alain Carlson, Research Assistant, Behavioural Health Sciences Lab, Nipissing University

The Valley Infant-Parent Program is an innovative, infant therapeutic program developed between a regional Children’s Services department and a children’s mental health agency. Presenters will use case examples to illustrate how the evidence-informed unique treatment model that evolved can be adapted to support caregivers and their infants facing a variety of complex challenges.

Presented by:
Caroline Roncadin, Psychologist, Peel Children’s Centre
Bhupinder Heer, Clinical Supervisor, Peel Children’s Centre
Nikki Slinger, Program Supervisor, Human Services Department, Region of Peel

Learn about Adventure Quest, an innovative, evidence-informed program. A collaboration of The Boys and Girls Clubs of Kawartha Lakes, Chimo Youth and Family Services and local school boards, the program is designed to assist youth struggling within conventional school programs. Presentation participants will also experience examples of adventure-based therapeutic activities used in the program.

Presented by:
Bruce Scott, Coordinator, Youth Support Programs, Boys and Girls Clubs of Kawartha Lakes
Teresa Rye, Adventure Quest Program, Chimo Youth and Family Services
Ashley Moore, Intensive Family Services Worker, Chimo Youth and Family Services

At the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health (the Centre), we work to bring people and knowledge together to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of mental health services for children, youth and their families and caregivers. Using an organizational learning approach, the Centre supports child and youth mental health agencies to implement and evaluate evidence-informed practices to enhance service provision. Through a number of programs and services (including the Implementation Support Program, Evaluation Support Program and Evidence In-Sight), Centre staff help practitioners to gather information, use knowledge to grow and share stories about what works on the front lines of care. In this interactive presentation, participants will hear about how the Centre’s programs and services can be used to enhance practitioners’ work and strengthen outcomes for children, youth and families across the province of Ontario.

Presented by:
Ian Manion, Executive Director, Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health

2011 Workshop Presentations

Conference participants will hear from senior staff at the Ministries of Children and Youth Services; Health and Long-Term Care and Education about the challenges of integrating policy across Ministries at Queen’s Park, both in the course of its development and during implementation. The second half of the session will be open to a discussion with participants and brainstorming about how to address inter-ministerial barriers across sectors. Presented by Aryeh Gitterman (Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy Development and Program Design, Ministry of Children and Youth Services), Grant Clarke (Assistant Deputy Minister, Learning and Curriculum Division, Ministry of Education), Dr. Vasanthi Srinivasan (Assistant Deputy Minister, Health System Strategy and Policy Division, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care).

Schools often fail to adopt evidence-based approaches, including those that can improve mental health outcomes. This presentation will summarize a project using methods from marketing research and economics to explore the practice change preferences of more than 1,000 educators and thereby developing more effective practice change strategies. Presented by Melanie A. Barwick (Associate Scientist, Scientific Director Knowledge Translation, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Associate Professor, Psychiatry, University of Toronto), Charles E. Cunningham (Psychologist, McMaster Children’s Hospital, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Jack Laidlaw Chair in Patient-Centred Health Care at McMaster University).

The presenters shared findings that demonstrate: 1) the benefits of seeking stakeholder input in project development and 2) the impact of cross-sectoral collaboration on implementation of evidence based practice. Presenters shared their experiences as project partners representing the children’s mental health and hospital sectors. Preseented by Gloria Chaim (Deputy Clinical Director, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), Patty Hayes (Clinical Supervisor, Turning Point Youth Services), Joanna Henderson (Independent Clinician Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health).

This presentation consisted of the steps that brought over 25 community agencies in Thunder Bay to work together around the acute response to devastating youth suicide and to develop an ongoing prevention strategy plan. Presented by Tom Walters (Executive Director, Children’s Centre Thunder Bay).

This presentation provided a detailed overview of the multifaceted FASD community capacity initiative in Simcoe County. By building partnerships with over 25 cross sector agencies we have significantly advanced our community understanding and capacity through education, coaching, and support to improve outcomes for children, youth and families impacted by FASD. Presented by Charlotte Fergusson (Supervisor, New Path Youth and Family Services), Cathy Bidwell (Social Worker, Kinark Child and Family Services), Tonya Millsap (FASD Project Manager, Catulpa Community Support Services), Sally Seabrook (Behaviour Consultant, Behaviour Management Services of York and Simcoe).

Vince Pawis is also a Traditional Ojibwe Elder from Shawanaga First Nation. Vince works with Aboriginal Youth sharing traditional knowledge and land teachings. Vince shared a ‘teaching’ during this presentation. Rob Wemigwans shared the growth and challenges that WBRHL has faced while working with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario on a ‘policy development’ research project. Presented by Rob Wemigwans (Social Worker, White Buffalo Road Healing Lodge), Vince Pawis (Executive Director, White Buffalo Road Healing Lodge).

This session is designed to seek input into and lend shape to the policy process undertaken by CMHO. Participants will have the opportunity to provide input into topics that they would like to see the Association examine and take a position on. The session begins with a brief review of the four policy areas that CMHO has already examined and a determination of whether these subject areas should be explored more deeply. Presented by Sheila Masters (CMHO board member), Liane Greenberg (CMHO), Camille Quenneville (Director of Policy and Communications, CMHO).

A person is being bullied if he or she is exposed repeatedly and over time to negative actions on the part of one or more persons. Bullying interferes with an individual’s need to belong and has been shown to be related to long-term consequences such as academic difficulties, depression, anxiety, and physical health problems. Recent research in neuroscience indicates that social pain resulting from rejection is similar to that felt from physical pain. Presented by Tracy Vaillancourt (Canada Research Chair in Children’s Mental Health and Violence Prevention, and Professor, Faculty of Education and School of Psychology, University of Ottawa).

"The Common Roof" and New Path Foundation have a proven non-profit multi-tenant collaborative that enhances services to kids and community. Social service agency partnerships are key to developing and sustaining a strong, cross-sectoral mental health system. This workshop examined six key indicators designed to ensure successful collaborative outcomes. Presented by Glen Newby (President and CEO, New Path Foundation), Ken Edwards (Vice-President Finance and Administration),  Neville Twine (Vice-President, New Path Ventures).

Using the shared management model, a partnership of community and hospital providers was developed to guide 100 youth with severe mental illness from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to Adult Mental Health Services. Partners dedicated in-kind contributions to assist in the linkage of service and maintain a youth-centred approach. Presented by Karen Tataryn (Regional Director, Child/Youth Specialized Psychiatric and Mental Health Services in Eastern Ontario, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario), Mario Cappelli (Director, Mental Health Research, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario), Joanne Lowe (Executive Director, Youth Services Bureau, Ottawa), Donna Petty (Director of Operations, Canadian Mental Health Association, Ottawa Branch).

Together with Kinark Family and Child Services, and the Ministry of Child and Youth Services, Parents for Children’s Mental Health has developed a program of Family Support Provision that will provide immediate access to Navigation and Support Services for families across the province. Using evidence-based approaches in building the model, developing the implementation plan and evaluation structures of the model, the Family Support Provision Program continues to be developed with recommendations for roll-out and piloting of the program made to the Ministry to improve the outcomes for children and youth with mental illness in Ontario. This workshop described the process, as well as the innovative partnership between family, agency, and government and the description of the model, and why it is important. Presented by Sarah Cannon (Executive Director, Parents for Children’s Mental Health).

This presentation highlighted the key components of a successful newcomer youth mental health program. The discussion will include identified barriers and challenges facing these communities in accessing mental health services and possible ways of bridging the gap between newcomer youth and mental health services. Presented by Sheeba Narikuzhy (Counselling Supervisor, East Metro Youth Services), Daniel Poliszczuk (Newcomer Program Worker, East Metro Youth Services).

CARE: Children at Risk for Entering Care is a collaborative initiative of 5 partner agencies. It utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach that employs evidence-based treatment modalities to provide immediate, brief and focused interventions in the home and community to high risk children and youth to create empowered, stable families. Presented by Liisa Kuuter (Manager, Clinical & Community Programs, Yorktown Child and Family Centre), Mike Dixon (Child Protection Worker, Ongoing Services – Adolescent, Catholic Children’s Aid Society), Louisa Drost, (Manager, Community Counselling Services, The Etobicoke Children’s Centre), Abraham Nemad (Social Worker, The George Hull Centre), Britt Hughson (Supervisor, Child Welfare – Etobicoke Branch, Children’s Aid Society of Toronto).

The Canadian Centre for Accreditation (CCA) is a new, not for profit national organization that will provide a third party, objective accreditation process tailored to community-based health and social services. The partnership of five accreditation programs that have created CCA was described, features of the CCA accreditation process were highlighted, and CCA’s future vision was discussed. Ample opportunity to ask questions and discuss the transition to CCA for currently accredited organizations was provided. Presented by Barbara Wiktorowicz (Executive Director, Community Organizational Health Inc.), Joanne Johnston (Director of Standards & Services, Children’s Mental Health Ontario).

As the evidence-based practice movement has advanced, much has been learned about adoption, implementation, and sustainability of prevention and intervention practices. This presentation focused on the importance of evidence from practice and the critical role of scientific thinking to address pseudoscience and promote positive mental health outcomes. Presented by Thomas Kratochwill (Sears-Bascom Professor, University of Wisconsin, and Director, Educational and Psychological Training Center).

Canadian Friends of Somalia, a Somali service, requested assistance from CAMH Ottawa office. Somali youth were in Ottawa courts with addiction related crime and injured/murdered in drug crime in Alberta. CAMH, Rideauwood and CFS partnered to deliver culturally specific addiction prevention and youth justice addiction counselling for youth and parents. Presented by Paul Welsh (Executive Director, Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services), Fairah Aw Owsman (Executive Director, Canadian Friends of Somalia).

Point in Time is the lead for ‘Working Together for Kids Mental Health’ in Haliburton. The Etobicoke Children’s Centre has focused on developing a culture of evaluation and applying a new model for quality assurance. Together, with researchers at Kinark, we are creating an evaluation collaborative from joint learnings. Presented by Marg Cox (Executive Director, Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth and Parents), Ewa Deszynski (Executive Director, The Etobicoke Children’s Centre),  Sandra Cunning (Director, Research and Evaluation, Kinark Child and Family Services).

Mental health in children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder was identified by parents and service providers as a significant, pressing issue in the rural community of Dufferin County. Through The Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health, a Community Mobilization Grant has enabled this community to develop partnerships towards the integration of services to meet the needs relating to this complex issue. Presented by Brenda Courtney (Student Support Leadership Liaison, Dufferin Child and Family Services), Kevin Stoddart, Clinical Director, Redpath Centre; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto), Claire Olorenshaw (Kerry’s Place Autism Services), Trish Grabb (Children’s Mental Health at Dufferin Child and Family Services).

Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology’s compressed Child and Youth Worker Program and Child and Family Services of Timmins and District have a creative partnership. This partnership was designed to ensure that graduates from the program meet or exceed the provincial learning outcomes while providing supplementary service to the agency. The rewards and challenges will be discussed. Presented by Joanne Hagger-Perritt (Professor, Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology), Laurent Gilbert (Shift Supervisor, Child and Family Services of Timmins and District – F.W. Schumacher Residence).

The Centre has developed a training program in mental health literacy for educators, administrators, mental health service providers and health-care professionals. In March 2011, the program was pilot tested in four communities across the province – Haliburton, Niagara, Sudbury and Belleville. A diverse group of professionals from each community participated in a full-day workshop covering the most common mental health concerns among children and youth and offering practical, real-life strategies to support them in their daily work. The workshop includes: Basic knowledge and skills required to understand common child and youth mental health issues; A common understanding and language for participants; A snapshot of local and provincial resources and how to use them. Presented by Ian Manion (Executive Director, Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health).

DIAS is a cross-sectoral partnership project involving children’s mental health centres, child welfare, settlement services and The Psychology Foundation of Canada. Goals include building the capacity of the communities and agencies to better serve newcomer children and their families and to build a model for use with other newcomer groups. Presented by Liane Davey (Trustee, The Psychology Foundation of Canada), Julia Ghani (Afghan Outreach Worker, East Metro Youth Services and DIAS Project).

This presentation traced the successful research-practice relationship between Mothercraft/BTC and York University’s LaMarsh Research Centre. It described: 1) the service and research partnership model; 2) the intersection of research and practice in program development; 3) benefits to community agencies, practitioners, students, families; and 4) evaluation/research findings, using videoclips. Presented by Mary Motz (Clinical Psychologist, Mothercraft/Breaking the Cycle), Debra J. Pepler (Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology, York University), Stacey Espinet (Postdoctoral Fellow, Mothercraft/Breaking the Cycle), Margaret Leslie (Director, Early Intervention Programs, Mothercraft/Breaking the Cycle), Julie Chamberlin (Masters Student, York University), Jessica Jeong (Masters Student, York University), Azel Mulagulova (Honours Student, York University).

An expert panel was convened to create an Emergency Department (ED) care pathway that addresses children and youth with mental health and addiction issues. The focus of the pathway is integration of care between ED and community. This session reviewed the pathway and sought feedback prior to its pilot. Presented by Doreen Day (Senior Project Manager, Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health), Jeffrey Hawkins (Executive Director, Hands TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca), Mona Jabbour (Medical Director, Emergency Department, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario), Marilyn Booth (Executive Director, Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health).

SCIP’s integrated partnership between children’s mental health agencies and schools provides effective early response to the mental health needs of elementary school children identified by their school team. Presenters explained the SCIP model and spoke to the benefits, challenges, and lessons learned in developing and growing the partnership. Presented by Susan Barnes (SCIP Program Manager, Vanier Children’s Services), Kathleen Nutt (SCIP Consultant, Merrymount Children’s Centre).

This presentation highlighted the work that has been done in Ottawa between the Ottawa Inuit community and the Ottawa Children’s Aid Society. By working together with a common goal to work for positive outcomes for our children, real change is occurring. Discussions included the how, the challenges and what has worked. Presented by Karen Baker-Anderson (Executive Director, The Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre), Andree Guillemette (Supervisor, Ottawa Children’s Aid Society), Reepa Evic-Carleton (Treatment Coordinator, Tungasuvvingat Inuit’s Mamisarvik Healing Centre).

Service coordination and service collaboration are current buzz words, but how do programs shift their perspective from working independently to working within a service collaboration framework? Follow the challenges and successes of a crisis intervention program as it strives to move towards service collaboration at the program and service delivery level. Presented by Pamela James (Family Connections Supervisor, Associated Youth Services of Peel), Liz McGrath (Family Connections Counsellor, Associated Youth Services of Peel), Rasha Chaaya (Facilitator, Peel Crisis Capacity Network).

While teachers and principals understand that many of their students have mental health problems, recent research tells us they feel ill-prepared to deal with these challenges. Join us as we outline the development of a district-wide mental health strategy and share 'on-the-ground' efforts to increase mental health literacy in educators. Presented by Don Buchanan (Knowledge Mobilization Officer, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board), Kathy Short (Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board).

Presented by Liisa Kuuter (Manager, Clinical & Community Programs, Yorktown Child and Family Centre), Susan Loizzo (Social Worker, Yorktown Child and Family Centre), Mary Ann DiPaolo (Program Coordinator, West End Sexual Abuse Treatment Program), Sheila Konanur (Graduate Student, Clinical Developmental Psychology, York University)

Children in the care of three Children`s Aid Societies are benefitting from the enhanced skills of their caregivers as a result of a unique partnership between the societies and a mental health agency. In a unique service that none of the partners alone could have developed, the agencies collectively identified a shared interest in stabilizing placements of children in care, designed a model of service delivery within the child`s existing placement and collaborated to establish the service. Unlike a purchase of service arrangement, the service was designed and created and now is operated, monitored and evaluated by all four agencies in full partnership. Presented by Carolyne Hooper (Director, Secure Treatment & Youth Justice, Kinark Child & Family Services), Diane Sardi (Supervisor, Behaviour Stabilization Consultation Team, Kinark Child & Family Services), Sheila Markle (Manager, Children’s Services, Guelph Wellington Child & Family Services), Anne Marie Keyes, Resource Development Supervisor, Halton Children's Aid Society.

Turning Point Youth Services and Griffin Centre are working in partnership to provide youth mental health court services. This presentation provided an overview of the youth criminal justice system, the youth courts, and the challenges and strategies when working in the criminal court system. Presented by Miranda Cheung (Youth Mental Health Court Worker, Griffin Centre), Arlene Gonash (Youth Mental Health Court Worker, Griffin Centre), Rebecca Hannah (Youth Mental Health Court Worker, Turning Point Youth Services).

Trillium Lakelands District School Board and CMH partners have a history of collaboration. TLDSB has committed resources to increase mental health literacy, reduce stigma and take collaboration to a new level, developing joint consents to services, approaches and interventions in schools, and a commitment to jointly addressing mental health issues. Presented by Shelley Woon (Superintendent of Special Education, Trillium Lakelands District School Board), Marg Cox (Executive Director, Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth and Parents), Margaret Rose-Jackson (Executive Director, Chimo Youth and Family Services Inc.), Marty Rutledge (Executive Director, Family, Youth and Child Services of Muskoka),  Joyce Pruysers-Emmink (Elementary Special Education Consultant and Mental Health Consultant, Trillium Lakelands District School Board), Jane Jordan (Psycho-Educational Consultant, Trillium Lakelands District School Board), Allison Jones (Student Services/Attendance Counsellor, Trillium Lakelands District School Board), Pauline Knott (Student Services/Attendance Counsellor, Trillium Lakelands District School Board).

Youth engagement is an evidence-informed practice championed by Children’s Mental Health Ontario, The New Mentality and The Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health (The Centre). Children’s Mental Health Ontario has just released their Youth Engagement Accreditation Standards. The New Mentality continues to be a vehicle and voice for youth and The Centre just announced they are providing youth engagement training free of charge to child and youth mental health agencies. Clearly, there is a growing movement towards this participatory leadership practice. Partnering with young people improves therapeutic outcomes and increases organizational growth. There has been much research into the practice, but what is needed now are practical strategies and tools for initiating and sustaining youth engagement practice. Extending beyond the traditional client-service provider relationship with youth is uncharted territory for most organizations and youth, but for those agencies and youth who have made this practice part of their day-to-day work, the benefits are abundant. This workshop focused on the evidence supporting youth engagement, the work of The New Mentality, The Centre’s Youth Engagement program and CMHO’s Accreditation Standards for Youth Engagement. Presented by Cathy Dyer (Project Coordinator, The New Mentality).

Together we will look at the beauty of working with and for the children and families in our Aboriginal communities. How do we do that in a way that honours the culture and history of our community and acknowledges that we are guests in the community who want to be part of the solution? (Karen Baker-Anderson, Executive Director, The Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre)

(MCYS, November, 2006, HTML format) (2) Navigating the Journey to Wellness: The Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan for Ontarians (Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions, August, 2010, PDF, 64 pgs, Media Release); (3) Towards Sustainable Child Welfare (Commission to Promote Sustainable Child Welfare, June, 2010, PDF, 38 pgs, Executive Summary); (4) Ministry of Education: Special Education Update (June, 2010, PDF, 19 pgs); (5) Every Door is the Right Door: Towards a 10-Year Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, a discussion paper (Minister’s Advisory Group, July 2009, PDF, 53 pgs)

Willy Van Klooster of Vanier Children’s Services; Brenda Hall of Western Area Youth Services; Marc Roberts of Oxford-Elgin Child and Youth Centre, and Lothar Liehmann of Craigwood Youth Services discussed their experience of putting together a proposed amalgamation of their agencies, and the success they achieved in attempting to bring these organizations together. Download 'Amalgamation Phase 1 - Conceptual Model' (October, 2010; PDF, 32 pages).

Lynn Ryan-Mackenzie from Algoma Family Services spoke about the latest in school collaboration and partnerships (PDF, 17 pages).

Peter Moore, Dr. Sandra Cunning, and Jane Rounthwaite of Kinark Child and Family Services spoke about their cutting edge work in evidence based practices.

As the leading voice for a stronger child and youth mental health system in Ontario, CMHO is committed to engaging its members in developing advocacy positions that reflect their expertise and experience. With leadership from CMHO’s new Public Policy Committee, our goal iss to develop, in consultation with CMHO members, strong and clear statements about key issues well before the next Ontario election in October 2011. The desired outcome of this session was to ensure that all appropriate concerns and opportunities are addressed by the sub-committees that will lead this work throughout the winter, in preparation for further consultation with members in spring 2011.

Ontario’s new policy framework for child and youth mental health is now being implemented, changes are happening in the child welfare system, and a Select Committee of the Legislature has proposed sweeping reforms for all government-funded mental health and addiction services. Kevin Flynn, Chair of the Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions, spoke about the impact of that Committee’s proposals on the child and youth mental health sector.

Ene Underwood from the Commission spoke to participants about the work of the Commission on Sustainable Child Welfare – the impact of which directly affects our agencies.

Aryeh Gitterman provided the latest updates on the policy framework implementation, and what we can expect from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services in the near future.

Separately: 1. Report of the Board President and the Executive Director & CEO (Newby, G. & Floyd, G.; 4 pages); 2. Address to the AGM by CMHO's Board President (Newby, G., 3 pages); 3. Address to the AGM by CMHO'S Executive Director & CEO (Floyd, G., 4 pages).

This presentation highlighted the role of structural risks in contributing to poor health outcomes for First Nations children and youth. Dr. Blackstock then presented real solutions - enveloped in First Nations worldview and the Many Hands One Dream Principles (MHOD) - that will make a difference for First Nations children and young people. Successful movements informed by the MHOD principles were discussed, and participants left with pragmatic actions they can take to make a difference today. (Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada)

This presentation addressed the psychological consequences of various forms of displacement on children’s mental health utilizing the concepts of trauma and stress, social and emotional supports, separation, experience of loss, and coping and adaptation. The principles underlying the delivery of mental health care for displaced children were discussed. (Ksenija Kondic, Clinical Psychologist, Professor Emerita, Department of Psychology, University of Belgrade, Serbia)

School, community mental health agency and university collaborative form the foundation for promotion of peaceful schools and the development of children’s emotional and social competencies. This workshop will emphasize the growth of the current model through a comparative analysis of the outcomes of a school-based and community intervention, case examples, and program evaluation efforts. (Alice Schmidt Hanbidge, K-W Counselling Services)

Halton Y.O.D.A. (Youth Overcoming Depression and Anxiety) at Woodview provides evidence-based CBT combined with creative therapeutic programming for youth in grades 6-8. This workshop will focus on community partnerships, youth engagement, responsive and flexible group treatment in community settings, and findings from the Program Evaluation Grant through The Provincial Centre of Excellence. (Jennifer Brown, Brook Gardner, Lorraine Jeffrey, Woodview Children’s Mental Health and Autism Services; Teresa Brown, Transitions for Youth; Theresa Wilson, Halton Catholic District School Board; Jo-Anne Trigg, Halton District School Board; youth participant)

This workshop will share why and how our organization began a multi-year journey last fall towards becoming a strength-based learning organization, how we have used appreciative inquiry as our methodology, our progress so far, and what our plan is for the next year. The presentation will tie practice to organizational theory. (Lothar Liehmann, Craigwood Youth Services)

This workshop focussed on the unique interviewing format, challenges in meeting the child's needs and improving his/her capacity to regulate traumatic experience. It highlighted the important developmental considerations and age-appropriate interviewing techniques in establishing rapport with the child, determining type and volume of information to be sought, as well as preventing re-traumatization and fostering the child’s sense of safety. Integrating and interpreting information learned during the interview was also addressed. (Ksenija Kondic, Clinical Psychologist, Professor Emerita, Department of Psychology, University of Belgrade, Serbia)

At CMHO’s conference in November 2006, MCYS Minister Chambers indicated that BCFPI's scope would be increased to support cross-sector management of mental health services for children and families. Since then, BCFPI Inc. has been developing the web-based version of BCFPI, consistent with this vision. This new version, recently released in England, Sweden, the Maritimes and British Columbia, is now ready for Ontario. This workshop will introduce the new system’s capacities, so that providers may anticipate how they’ll be able to use this powerful new tool to support their efforts. (Peter Pettingill, BCFPI Inc.; Dr. Charles Cunningham, Hamilton Health Sciences; Brian O'Hara, CMHO)

This workshop will identify lessons learned through the process of partnering with a cultural community to provide training about learning disabilities and children’s mental health. Mixed design outcome evaluation led to the development of a new model for providing culturally competent social service delivery. Clinical implications will be discussed. (Mohammad Deghan Pour, Dr. Lesley Daniels, Dr. Marjory Phillips, Melissa Rowbotham, Integra)

This interactive workshop will acquaint participants with a case study in evidence-based practice, innovative service design and collaborative knowledge exchange. We will outline how one centre chose to bridge the research-practice divide. Rewards, challenges and lessons learned will be presented. Participants will have an opportunity to share and network. Bibliography.

Organizational culture is one of the primary contributing factors in the success or failure of an organization. As we embark on an era where the baby boomers are leaving and the war on talent is upon us, strategies that help us to maximize our human resources are becoming more and more important. Leadership plays a critical role in moulding a culture capable of engaging the hearts as well as the minds of employees. In this fast-paced and interactive session, learn about the six imperatives Lutherwood leaders believe are crucial to building and maintaining a productive and healthy culture. (Sandra Watt, Lutherwood) Handout 1, Handout 2, Handout 3.

An international perspective on bridging evidence and practice, this workshop will feature some innovative activities in eight different countries, on strategies for identifying evidence, in-house evaluation, embedding evidence-informed practice and measuring impact. Workshop participants will be invited to discuss key issues and focus on generating solutions relevant and meaningful in Ontario. (Joanne Johnston, Children’s Mental Health Ontario; Don Buchanan, Offord Centre for Child Studies; Kathy Short, E-BEST, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board; Ian Manion, The Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health at CHEO; Michael Cheng, eMentalHealth)

The study investigated a children’s mental health residential treatment program. The BCFPI and CAFAS collected pre-treatment data and CAFAS was administered at discharge. Areas of change will be discussed in the context of the program, including whether specific groups of clients (e.g., gender, age, additional family therapy) differentiate in their outcomes. (Michelle Dermenjian, Algonquin Child and Family Services)

DirectResponse (DR) is a new process for admission and brief service designed to meet the needs of families in a timely, personal, and flexible way. The DR process, designed to be an efficient and effective method for addressing waitlists, highlights the integration of frontline, management, IT and evaluation practice. (Dr. Sandra Cunning, Zelimir Nastic, Matt Sheridan, Carol-Ann McCulloch, Kinark Child and Family Services)

The Agency Leaders' Roundtable had three parts. This interactive and participatory session  began with a guest speaker, Susan Pigott of the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health on the subject of poverty as it relates to children’s mental health. Susan has worked with the provincial government on their poverty agenda and she offered her thoughts about this important issue. Following Susan’s remarks a roundtable of agency staff discussed their communications strategies used during Children’s Mental Health Week 2008 - with a view to offering insight and recommendations for events and activities for 2009. Finally participants broke into regional groups to discuss future plans and lay the groundwork for working together to make Children’s Mental Health Week 2009 the most successful yet!

Dr. Carey Anne DeOliveira, Child and Parent Resource Institute The aim of this workshop will be to make attachment theory accessible to clinicians and policy makers, fostering the development of effective and empirically based clinical practices. One specialized service aimed at providing consultation and education to children and youth with early disturbances of attachment and their caregivers will be highlighted.

School Mental Health at ACFS has implemented mobile teams, taking a strengths-based approach to Section 23 classrooms. A spectrum of services, capacity building within schools, innovative system co-ordination, and increased practice-based evidence fosters resiliency and emotional health of students. An interactive question period will follow review of this new model. (Michelle Dermenjian, Algonquin Child and Family Services)

A community-based research initiative aimed at the evaluation of a walk-in model of care for children with psychosocial problems will be described. Outcome results, including those for child psychosocial adjustment, patterns of help-seeking, and the impact(s)/challenges encountered during the conduct of this community-based study will be highlighted. (Diana Urajnik, The Hospital for Sick Children; Linda Sumner, Sharna Cohen, Yorktown Child and Family Centre)

Experienced-Based Brain Development in Early Life and Mental Health and Behaviour Problems, Dr. J. Fraser Mustard, Founders’ Network

Margaret Mottershead, CEO, Ontario Association of Community Care Access Centres

Dr. Ian Manion, The Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health; Nancy Pereira, The New Mentality Joint Project between Children’s Mental Health Ontario and The Provincial Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health

This workshop described the Crisis Management Guidelines recently distributed to Ontario’s Children’s Mental Health Centres with a particular focus on the development of the guidelines, the nature of organizational crises and the benefits of maintaining a state of readiness. Participants were encouraged to describe lessons learned from their own crisis management experiences (André Clément, Integrity Management Consulting Group)>

Dr. Faye Mishna, University of Toronto

Natasha Tatartcheff-Quesnel, Ottawa Children’s Coordinated Access and Referral to Services; Michael Hone, Crossroads Children’s Centre; Francine Gravelle, Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa

Dr. Usha George, Ryerson University; Jacquie Brown, Roland Rutland, Kinark Child and Family Services

Ken Anderson, Assistant Commissioner (Privacy), Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario

Dr. Charles Cunningham, Community Education Service, McMaster Children’s Hospital; Dr. Patrick McGrath, Dalhousie University

Dr. Charles Cunningham, Community Education Service, McMaster Children’s Hospital; Dr. Patrick McGrath, Dalhousie University

Reforming Children's Mental Health Services: A new approach to services delivery, Leonard Bickman, Vanderbilt University, and The Center for Evaluation and Program Improvement, Nashville, Tennessee

Jim McCarter, Auditor General of Ontario

Camille Quenneville, Director of Policy and Communications, CMHO

Rabinovich, M. (Child and Adolescent Services - Hamilton), Wilkinson, T. (Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton), Walford, M. (Foster Parent).