A new program to help youth struggling with significant mental health issues and school participation is celebrating success wth its first graduating cohort.
The Adolescent Intensive Day Treatment Program (AIDTP) for youth aged 14 to 18 uses a trauma-focused approach to providing client-specific mental health treatment and educational programming within a safe and structured therapeutic environment.
The intensive five-month journey has profoundly impacted the lives and futures of the youth participants, according to Island Health.
“This program gave our child the space to build trusting and mutually respectful relationships, be vulnerable and develop more self-awareness,” said one parent. “Prior to this program, our child was so ill that we thought we’d lost them forever. By the end of the five months, we got our child back.”
The aim is to support youth to improve their mental health and well-being and strengthen relationships with parents, caregivers and peers. Twice per year, two 10-person cohorts receive specialized care at Saanich's Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health from a dedicated and compassionate interdisciplinary team that includes a social worker, counsellors, family therapist, recreational therapist, occupational therapist, teacher, educational assistant, psychologist, psychiatrist and administrative support.
“We developed the program to address a gap in service for kids who were chronically suicidal, self-harming, and repeatedly hospitalized,” said Henny Laurin, Island Health manager for child, youth, family mental health and substance use. “Some of our participants haven’t left their homes or attended school in years and this program is giving them the coping skills to be able to do that.”
The first team member hired, child and youth counsellor Amanda Fantillo, supports youth participants in developing life skills, helping them to build their confidence, foster relationships and meet their goals.
“We’ve created a group structure, but we set each individual up to achieve their own success,” Fantillo said in a news release. “Some of these kids felt so broken when they started the program, and the journeys we’ve witnessed have been truly transformational.”
AIDTP focuses on socialization opportunities, with participants receiving a variety of services including individual and group therapy, on-site education in a therapeutic classroom, life skills such as cooking and budgeting, recreational programming, job preparedness and post-secondary exploration. Clinicians also accompany participants on a variety of outings designed to help them build their tolerance and exposure to other people and new experiences while developing a sense of community.
“I feel so privileged to be able to step into every aspect of this program and get to know these kids on a deep and meaningful level,” said Fantillo. “It’s also wonderful to support their families.”
Family participation is mandatory, with clinicians providing family members and caregivers with practical solutions and problem-solving techniques for interacting with their kids through parent coaching and individual and group sessions.
“I think a lot of these kids come to us feeling disheartened, disenfranchised and like they can’t be helped. Their parents are also often at their wit's end,” program coordinator Kirsteen Moore said. “At the beginning of the program we encountered some pretty scared and upset parents, however when their children graduated from the cohort they were shedding tears of joy. Watching this program unfold has been magical.”
The Adolescent Intensive Day Treatment Program is available by referral only.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, contact Canada’s 988 hotline, which gives people access to suicide prevention services via call or text 24/7 and free of charge.
