Where to Get Help
If this is a mental health emergency and safety is the immediate concern and help is needed now – Call 911 or go to your hospital emergency department.
Lakehead Public Schools offers school social work services and mental health resources for students, families and staff to assist with challenges, transitions, and issues. Please visit the following links to learn more. If a student, family, or staff member needs help, please reach out – someone is here to help.
Children Centre/Thunder Bay Counselling Walk-in Talk-in Services
Dilico Walk-in Services
Tuesdays 1pm – 7pm
https://www.dilico.com/mental-health-addictions/walk-in-counselling-centre
CMHA Crisis Response
If you need to talk to someone right away please call or text 807-346-8282
or
Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7, national support service. They offer professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people in both English and French.
By Phone – You can reach a Kids Help Phone counsellor 24/7 at 1-800-668-6868.
By Text – Need help now? Text CONNECT to 686868
Live Chat – Kids Help Phone’s Live Chat hours are temporarily reduced so we can provide more timely access to support through our other services. Live Chat is currently open daily from midnight to 7:00 am.
https://kidshelpphone.ca/live-chat
Mental Health Resources for Students and Caregivers
School Mental Health Ontario
School Mental Health Ontario supports Ontario schools to enhance the quality and consistency of mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention programming in Ontario schools. SMHO also provides resources to caregivers on mental health awareness in the way of activities, tip sheets, videos and important questions you might have. Check out this link for more information.
https://smho-smso.ca/parents-and-families
Children’s Mental Health Ontario
Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) represents Ontario’s publicly funded Child and Youth Mental Health Centres. We advocate for investments, policies, and programs for children, youth, and families seeking mental health services in Ontario. Our goal is to promote a coordinated and high-quality system of care that puts children, youth and families first.
Children’s Mental Health & Virtual Learning
Attending school remotely is a new experience for all of us. That means that there will be some inevitable road bumps and curveballs for caregivers, teachers, and students to manage. And while it may feel like everything about learning has changed, what hasn’t changed is the importance of relationships. CMHO offers some tips on working through the tech challenges and nurturing that all-important connection between your child and their teacher.
https://cmho.org/your-childs-mental-wellness-and-remote-learning
Back-to-School Mental Health Kit
While back-to-school is hard for most children and youth in a normal year, this year our kids are facing extraordinary circumstances relating to the pandemic and infection control measures. We know caregivers are experiencing unprecedented stress and are worried about their kids’ mental wellness.
To help, Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) has prepared a Back-to-School Mental Health Kit. We want to empower families who are concerned about their child’s mental health and help you find further mental health supports if you need them.
https://cmho.org/back-to-school
Mental Health Presentations 2023
School Social Work Services
Elementary and Secondary School Services
Individual Clinical Services are provided for students throughout the elementary and high schools. Our model focuses on brief, solution focused problem-solving methods to help promote resilience and coping with the goal of enhancing social emotional learning skills and success in the classroom. Referred students are provided with approximately 5 sessions if individual counselling with a registered social worker at the school. If your elementary age child is interested in individual services, please contact your school principal. For high school students, visit your student success office.
Self-Referral Form
If you are a youth over 12 or are referring someone over 12:
If you are a staff, parent or agency referring a youth under 12:
Three Year Mental Health Strategy
Noticing Mental Health Concerns For Your Child
Supporting Mental Health and Wellness during the Return to School – Tip Sheet
Personal Resiliency Tips for Helpers Who Support Students
St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Sharing His Love (YouTube Video)
