Child & Youth Mental Health
Sometimes it can be easier to recognize symptoms of physical illness, such as a fever, than identify a child’s struggle with mental health issues. Learning about mental health issues and accessing appropriate resources can help you help a child experiencing significant distress and impairing their functioning at home, at school, with peers or in the community.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 911 for immediate help.
The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, Depression Hurts and Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 all offer ways of getting help if you, or someone you know, may be suffering from mental health issues.
Other helpful resources:
Canadian Mental Health Associations:
New Brunswick CHMA
Newfoundland CMHA
Nova Scotia CMHA
Prince Edward Island Division
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) leads the development and dissemination of innovative programs and tools to support the mental health and wellness of Canadians. Through its unique mandate from the Government of Canada, the MHCC supports federal, provincial, and territorial governments as well as organizations in the implementation of sound public policy. https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/what-we-do/children-and-youth
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7, national support service. We offer professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people in both English and French. https://kidshelpphone.ca
Teen Mental Health's vision is to help improve the mental health of youth by the effective translation and transfer of scientific knowledge. Their model is to use the best scientific evidence available to develop application-ready training programs, publications, tools and resources that can be applied across disciplines to enhance the understanding of adolescent mental health and mental disorders. http://teenmentalhealth.org
Children’s mental health is an important part of their overall well-being. To help guide parents, the American Academy of Pediatrics offers a collection of interviews with pediatricians about child behavior, emotions and other mental health topics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellnes...
Cannabis is the most common illicit drug used worldwide and it is used frequently by Canadian teenagers. Cannabis use during adolescence can cause functional and structural changes to the developing brain, leading to damage.
Cannabis and Canada’s children and youth www.cps.ca/en/documents/position/cannabis-children-and-youth
