Bellwood Health Services
Youth Program
Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment in Toronto
Mental Health & Addiction Treatment for Teens
Bellwood’s Youth Program is committed to providing a safe and inclusive space for youth, caregivers/family members, and staff to provide meaningful clinical care and treatment. We are a family-centred program that offers support to the youth and their caregivers. We prioritize family involvement, as research consistently shows that parents and caregivers are essential to their teen’s long-term success in healing and recovery.
Our model of care is grounded in trauma-informed practices that incorporate evidence-based treatments and therapeutic interventions. Our highly skilled health providers offer treatment for young people and their families struggling with substance use, behavioural addictions, mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, eating disorders and concurrent disorders.
The Youth Program is a day hospital program within Bellwood Health Services. It is a 12-week intensive, outpatient day treatment program designed to increase access to appropriate and holistic mental health and addiction treatment for youth ages 13-18 and their families.
Concurrent Addiction and Mental Health treatment is Important with Teen Mental Health
Did you know that 28,000 children and youth under the age of 18 are waiting for mental health and addiction services in Ontario?1 Even worse, those with severe and more complex mental health and addiction issues are waiting up to 2.5 years to access treatment.1
Despite the high co-occurrence of mental illness and addiction in youth, most adolescents are treated for either mental illness or substance use, not both. In fact, most adolescents in need of concurrent, best practice treatment do not receive evidence-based interventions that address both substance use and mental health issues at the same time.
1 CMHO, 2020 https://cmho.org/28000-ontario-children-and-youth-are-waiting-for-community-mental-health-services/
Support Offered in the Bellwood Youth Program
Child and Youth Counsellors (CYCs)
CYCs play an active role in the treatment team, providing in-the-moment support for clients, facilitate group therapy, and participate in treatment goals. Each client will be assigned a primary CYC with whom they will meet with regularly.
Individual Therapist
Each client will meet with an individual therapist weekly. Therapy sessions will provide a space for the youth to deepen their learning and healing. The individual therapist will also support the youth in sharing within the larger group and/or family sessions, as appropriate.
Family Therapist
Parents/caregivers attend weekly family therapy sessions. Family therapy is an integral component of the youth’s treatment as it provides a space to work towards treatment goals related to the family, to help improve communication and effective parenting strategies, as well as prepare the youth and family for recovery post-discharge.
Registered Dietitian
The program’s dietitian supports both the youth and their families to provide nutrition education and appropriate guidelines to ensure adequate and balanced nutrition. For clients in the eating disorder stream, the dietitian will also provide individualized support in challenging and overcoming presenting food concerns.
Psychiatry Consults
On-site consultations with a psychiatrist are available to young people who may benefit from an assessment and diagnosis.
Family Supports
Each week a topic related to mental health and recovery will be presented and discussed, followed by time for parents to connect with one another for support, sharing their lived experiences and success with parenting strategies. Attendance of these weekly support and education groups is a requirement of the program.
Academic
Teaching staff are available onsite to support ongoing educational needs, including reintegration and enrollment.
A Day at Bellwood, EHN Canada Network’s Toronto Inpatient Facility
Morning
After starting your day with a healthy, chef-prepared breakfast, you’ll set your intentions with some self reflection. Then, you’ll heal from the inside out with an invigorating workout. Afterwards, you’ll attend an educational session about substance use disorders, DBT, or CBT, or immerse yourself in art therapy.
Afternoon
You’ll shift gears with a nutritionist-planned lunch. Then, you’ll attend a one-on-one therapy session or a workshop where you will develop your distress tolerance skills.
Evening
In the evening you’ll participate in any of a number of peer support sessions, such as interpersonal process group, SMART recovery, or fellowship. After some more physical recreation, you’ll enjoy dinner with fellow patients.
About Bellwood Health Services
Part of EHN Canada, Bellwood Health Services has been guiding addiction and mental health recoveries in Toronto for over 40 years. Our founder, Dr. Gordon Bell, was a pioneer and innovator in addiction rehab in Canada, and we continue his tradition of innovation and excellence. We are a licensed, private hospital and are proud to be affiliated with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Sunnybrook Hospital, and the University of Toronto’s Department of Psychiatry. Located next to the tranquil Sunnybrook Park, our centre’s serene setting is an environment that fosters healing.
Related Programs
For Youth struggling with mental health challenges, we also have a Virtual Teen Program offered through EHN Online.
