Teens and young adults in Northumberland County who are in need of mental health or addictions support can now access a new virtual resource through Youth Wellness Hub Ontario (YWHO) Northumberland.
YWHO Northumberland has announced the official launch of a virtual platform to provide youth aged 12 to 25 with free, low-barrier mental health and peer support services.
According to a media release, YWHO Northumberland has seen steady growth in youth engagement since soft-launching the virtual services in March.
“We’ve seen a number of referrals come through from youth themselves, family members seeking support for their loved ones, and community agencies requesting support for their clients,” said Alexis Forde, YWHO Northumberland care coordinator and hub manager, in a statement.
“I recently spoke with a parent in the community who expressed relief after learning about our available counselling services. After her daughter shared that she was struggling with her mental health, neither knew where to get started. With the launch of virtual services, YWHO Northumberland can now be a recognizable spot for youth and families to access services and start getting the support they need.”
Youth can access YWHO Northumberland’s virtual services through an online referral form at ywhnorthumberland.ca/virtual. The YWHO Northumberland team has created a guide outlining how to complete the form and what to expect during the intake process.
Currently, YWHO Northumberland offers virtual mental health and substance use counselling with its clinician, as well as peer support sessions through its peer support specialist.
“YWHO Northumberland is the first Youth Wellness Hub in Ontario to launch virtual services before opening our physical hub location, demonstrating our team’s dedication to supporting youth in the county,” said Sam Rockbrune, executive director of Rebound Child & Youth Services, the lead agency of YWHO Northumberland.
“While we eagerly await the completion of renovations at our building in Port Hope, our team continues to innovate and find new ways to engage and support youth. We will be rolling out additional new opportunities for youth to engage with us in the coming months.”
YWHO Northumberland expects to share updates about services, construction, and more as it prepares to launch its full range of integrated youth services in Northumberland County this summer. These services will include primary care, mental health and substance use counselling, service navigation, peer support and community and social supports, all through youth-friendly access points.
Rockbrune told kawarthaNOW about her aspiration for the virtual platform.
Like the soft-launch phase showed in terms of increased uptake, “My hope is that we will continue to see the number of youth engaging with our virtual services grow over the summer,” she said.
“YWHO Northumberland is already becoming the go-to place for youth ages 12 to 25 when they need access to vital mental health, substance use, and peer support services in Northumberland County,” Rockbrune said. “We look forward to being able to offer an expanded number of services throughout the next few months as we work towards the opening our physical location in Port Hope.”
Announced in spring 2024, the new hub will be permanently located at 15 Cavan Street in Port Hope.
YWHO Northumberland provides area youth with free, low-barrier access to a full range of clinical, mental health and support services through its full-time staff and partnerships with community organizations. Joining a network of 32 Youth Wellness Hubs across the province, YWHO Northumberland is funded by the Government of Ontario.
