KIDS GET LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH WEBCHAT
MUSKOKA — Cooped up kids have yet another place online to call home.
SafeSpot.ca www.safespot.ca. — a new free anonymous webchat service — went live yesterday for the Parry Sound and Nipissing districts.
It is available twice daily — three days a week — from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3-5 p.m.
The chat service is not meant for emergencies. If you or someone you know is in a child and youth mental health crisis situation, please call the Child & Youth Mental Health Crisis Line 24/7 at 1-844-287-9072, attend at the hospital or if in danger, call 911.
SafeSpot is a collaboration of two of the area’s mental health service providers.
Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions (SMFC) — Muskoka’s child and youth mental health provider — and Hands TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca (Hands), which provides child and youth mental health services in the regions of Nipissing and Parry Sound.
They say mental health is “vitally important” during the COVID-19 pandemic, with “widespread feelings of anxiety, fear and isolation.”
They said in a release this week that young people may need to talk more about how they’re feeling and coping with the pandemic and local child and youth mental health providers are making it easier for youth to reach out.
“We are thrilled to have a new platform that they can access independently from their homes,” says Jocelyn Wing, manager of child/youth mental health services, with SMFC.
She says it’s “in addition to the other forms of virtual supports that we are able to provide to youth at this time.”
The webchat service was developed based on a past research project conducted by Hands.
With funding from the Ontario Centre of Excellence, Hands researchers have explored how the use of technology could play a critical role in reducing barriers to accessing mental health services, specifically for those living in rural or remote areas.
They worked directly with youth in focus groups to better understand their needs and listened to their ideas of what would work best.
“The service was designed by youth, for youth,” added Michelle Dermenjian, director of child and youth services at Hands.
“Through the focus groups, we learned that a web chat could help reduce the stigma that youth often saw as a barrier to their decision to seek help. SafeSpot.ca also provides the anonymity youth seek, minimizes wait times and provides a way to receive more immediate attention for their mental health concerns.”
SafeSpot.ca provides the opportunity for youth to chat online three days each week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and from 3 – 5 p.m.
The service is staffed by an expert team trained to listen and answer questions about mental health.
They don’t provide counselling, but can help youth figure out if that is something that they want or need. They can support youth in understanding issues they may be facing and what to do next including connecting them to services with SMFC or Hands, depending on their location.
About Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions (SMFC):
SMFC is the local child and youth mental health provider in the District of Muskoka and the Children’s Aid Society in Muskoka and the County of Simcoe.
The independent non-profit agency provides culturally appropriate, efficient and effective services in the areas of child protection and children’s mental health.
SMFC works collaboratively to enhance the safety and wellbeing of children, youth and families.
Services are provided out of locations throughout regions of Simcoe County and the District of Muskoka. Its head office is in Barrie, with offices in Bracebridge, Collingwood, Huntsville, Midland, and Orillia.
About Hands – TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca:
Hands – TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca is dedicated to helping children, youth, adults with a developmental disability and families, receive the best possible care and help they need when they need it most.
It is comprised of child and family therapists, youth counsellors, behaviour therapists, social workers, psychologists and many other health care professionals who are committed to providing care in our communities.
