Providing Information to Parents Seeking Services
There is a growing body of research that points to the benefits of parents and families having access to information about child and youth mental health problems. Most importantly, "information that helps parents to understand their child's mental health problems can improve the outcomes for that child."1, 2
This page was created for professionals who want to help clients and families understand child and youth mental health disorders, services and treatment options, and how to navigate the system. All of the resources below are written in easy-to-understand, family-friendly language.
- Understanding Ontario's Child and Youth Mental Health Services
- Anxiety Disorders
- Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
- Behaviour Disorders (Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder)
- Mood Disorders (Depression, Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depression))
- Eating Disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Substance Abuse Problems
- Tourette Syndrome
- All Booklists
Understanding Ontario's Child and Youth Mental Health Services
CYMHIN Information Flyers: Family Friendly Information about Child and Youth Mental Health
These downloadable handouts provide practical, evidence-informed information about child and youth mental health. They are specifically written for families; but health (and school) professionals will find them helpful as well.
Canada : Child and Youth Mental Health Information Network (CYMHIN)(May, 2009)
Answers to Your Questions About Getting Help (PDF, 2 pages)What You Can Expect From A Mental Health Professional (PDF, 2 pages)
This fact sheet describes what you can expect to happen when you contact and child and youth mental health service - from intake to treatment.
Challenges & Choices: Finding Mental Health Services in Ontario
This guide is written in plain language and directed to clients and families who are looking for mental health services in Ontario. You could be looking for services for yourself, a family member, partner or friend. Or you could be a health care provider who wants to help clients and families find out about different services and how to use them.Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health(2003)
Services at different life stages: Services for children and youth (PDF)Entire Document (PDF, 151 pages)
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety Problems in Children and Adolescents
A plain-language summary of current and relevant research from around the world as it relates to anxiety problems in children and youth. Specifically designed for parents.Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development, Offord Centre for Child Studies(2007)
Pamphlet (PDF, 4 pages)Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)
in Punjabi (PDF, 2 pages)
in Simplified Chinese (PDF, 2 pages)
in Traditional Chinese (PDF, 2 pages)
in Arabic (PDF, 2 pages)
in Hindi (PDF, 2 pages)
in Italian (PDF, 2 pages)
in Portuguese (PDF, 2 pages)
Information about anxiety on the Centre of Knowledge on Health Child Development's website (HTML)
Anxiety Booklist
List of popular books and web resources related to anxiety problems in children and youth. The selection is based on parent and child feedback, and from on-going reviews at the Family Resource Centre.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: McMaster Children's Hospital(2004)
Booklist (PDF, 1 page)Anxiety Disorders in Children and Youth (Visions, BC's Mental Health Journal)
Published quarterly, Visions is an award-winning magazine that provides a place where many views on mental health and substance use issues can be heard. It's written by, and for people who have used mental health or addictions services, service providers, family and friends, community advocates, and leaders and decision-makers. This issue looks at the basics of anxiety disorder including the signs and symptoms of its various manifestations, such as panic, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Vancouver/BC, Canada: Canadian Mental Health Association(Spring, 2002)
Visions (PDF, 36 pages)Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)
Attention Problems in Children and Adolescents
A plain-language summary of current and relevant research from around the world as it relates to attention problems in children and youth. Specifically designed for parents.Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development, Offord Centre for Child Studies(2007)
Pamphlet (PDF, 4 pages)Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)
in Punjabi (PDF, 2 pages)
in Simplified Chinese (PDF, 2 pages)
in Traditional Chinese (PDF, 2 pages)
in Arabic (PDF, 2 pages)
in Hindi (PDF, 2 pages)
in Italian (PDF, 2 pages)
in Portuguese (PDF, 2 pages)
Information about attention problems on the Centre of Knowledge on Health Child Development's website (HTML)
Attention Problems Booklist
List of popular books and web resources related to attention problems in children and youth. The selection is based on parent and child feedback, and from on-going reviews at the Family Resource Centre.Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: McMaster Children's Hospital(2004)
Booklist (PDF, 1 page)Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Autism Spectrum Disorder
A plain-language summary of current and relevant research from around the world as it relates to Autism Spectrum Disorder in children and youth. Specifically designed for parents.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development, Offord Centre for Child Studies(2010)
Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)
in Punjabi (PDF, 2 pages)
in Simplified Chinese (PDF, 2 pages)
in Traditional Chinese (PDF, 2 pages)
in Arabic (PDF, 2 pages)
in Hindi (PDF, 2 pages)
in Italian (PDF, 2 pages)
in Portuguese (PDF, 2 pages)
Behaviour Disorders (Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder)
Behaviour Problems in Children and Adolescents
A plain-language summary of current and relevant research from around the world as it relates to behaviour problems in children and youth. Specifically designed for parents.Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development, Offord Centre for Child Studies(2007)
Pamphlet (PDF, 4 pages)Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)
in Punjabi (PDF, 2 pages)
in Simplified Chinese (PDF, 2 pages)
in Traditional Chinese (PDF, 2 pages)
in Arabic (PDF, 2 pages)
in Hindi (PDF, 2 pages)
in Italian (PDF, 2 pages)
in Portuguese (PDF, 2 pages)
Information about oppositional and conduct disorder on the Centre of Knowledge on Health Child Development's website (HTML, 1 page)
Behaviour Problems Booklist
List of popular books and web resources related to behavior problems in children and youth. The selection is based on parent and child feedback, and from on-going reviews at the Family Resource Centre.Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: McMaster Children's Hospital(2004)
Booklist (PDF, 1 page)Mood Disorders (Depression, Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depression))
Mood Problems in Children and Adolescents
A plain-language summary of current and relevant research from around the world as it relates to mood problems in children and youth. Specifically designed for parents.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development, Offord Centre for Child Studies(2007)
Pamphlet (PDF, 4 pages)Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)
in Punjabi (PDF, 2 pages)
Mood Problems and Depression Booklist
List of popular books and web resources related to mood problems and depression in children and youth. The selection is based on parent and child feedback, and from on-going reviews at the Family Resource Centre.Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: McMaster Children's Hospital(2004)
Booklist (PDF, 1 page)Eating Disorders
Eating Problems in Children and Adolescents
A plain-language summary of current and relevant research from around the world as it relates to Eating Problems in Children and Adolescents. Specifically designed for parents.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development, Offord Centre for Child Studies(2010)
Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)
in Punjabi (PDF, 2 pages)
Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating
Published quarterly, Visions is an award-winning magazine that provides a place where many views on mental health and substance use issues can be heard. It's written by, and for people who have used mental health or addictions services, service providers, family and friends, community advocates, and leaders and decision-makers. This issue looks at the basics of eating disorders, and discusses hotly debated topics including: Is disordered eating a 'mental illness'? and 'What are the causes of disordered eating'?
Vancouver/BC, Canada: Canadian Mental Health Association(Fall 2002)
Visions (PDF, 40 pages)Schizophrenia
Coping when someone in your family has Psychosis
A great resource for families who have experienced the onset of psychosis in a young person. It includes information to help families understand what psychosis is, how it affects the individual, and what they can do to help.
Early Psychosis Intervention Program White Rock/BC, Canada: Fraser South EPI Program(2003)
Booklet (PDF, 13 pages)Downloads (HTML, 1 page)
An extensive list of brochures and handouts; availabe in 4 different languages. Downloads include (to name a few): What to do if you continue to experience persistent symptoms, A guide to medications used in the early treatment of psychosis, How to manage if relapse occurs, The relationship of drugs and alcohol to psychosis, and many more.
Early Psychosis: Helping Your Family Member (5th edition - Revised)
A very comprehensive booklet that is dedicated to all families who have experienced the onset of psychosis in a young person. In the following pages, you will find information to help you understand what psychosis is, how it affects the individual, and what you can do to help.
Richmond/BC, Canada: British Columbia Schizophrenia Society(2006)
Booklet (PDF, 51 pages)Substance Abuse Problems
Substance Abuse
A plain-language summary of current and relevant research from around the world as it relates to Substance Abuse problems in children and youth. Specifically designed for parents.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development, Offord Centre for Child Studies(2010)
Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)
in Punjabi (PDF, 2 pages)
Tourette Syndrome
Tourette Syndrome
A plain-language summary of current and relevant research from around the world as it relates to Tourette Syndrome in children and youth. Specifically designed for parents.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development, Offord Centre for Child Studies(2010)
Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)Pamphlet (PDF, 2 pages)
in Punjabi (PDF, 2 pages)
All Booklists
Booklists
This selection of books and other resources is based on input from parents and children who have visited the Family Resource Centres at McMaster Children’s Hospital. They were compiled in a format that family doctors and mental health professionals can quickly download and print as handouts for their patients and clients.Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: The Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development, Offord Centre for Child Studies
Link to Booklists (HTML, 1 page)Link to Pamphlets (HTML, 1 page)
1How do parents want to receive information about their child’s mental health problems? (2009). Hamilton, Ontario: McMaster Child Health Research Institute.
2Cunningham, C. E., Deal, K., Rimas, H., Buchanan, D. H., Gold, M., Sdao-Jarvie, K., & Boyle M. (2008). Modeling the Information Preferences of Parents of Children with Mental Health Problems: A Discrete Choice Conjoint Experiment. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 36(7), 1123-38.
For Professionals
This fact sheet provides information about: the first steps to getting help, who provides services and at what cost, how to connect with the school, and much more.