Parent’s For Children’s Mental Health

1. Parent’s For Children’s Mental Health Organization Orientation

2. PCMH… who are we? • We are the only provincial parent—led non-profit organization that represents the voice of families struggling with the unique challenges of raising children / youth with mental health disorders / illnesses • It is governed by a Board of Directors which has representatives from families and community. • PCMH was established in 1994. • Dedicated to providing support, education, and empowerment to its members and the community partners and government. • We are funded by individual donations, grants, fees for service such as presentations and consultations

3. Our Vision • PCMH believes that every child, youth, and families has the right to achieve mental wellness, and to be supported and treated with equity and respect.

4. Our Mission • Through support, education, and empowerment, PCMH builds the capacity of families across Ontario to access child and youth mental health services that are family-centred and seamlessly delivered.

5. Our Values Parents for Children’s Mental Health believe that children/youth and their families suffering from mental health challenges deserve our extreme respect and assurance. We are dedicated to improving the lives of these families. PCMH is grounded in communities across Ontario; we provide families with direct knowledge and resources to help them navigate the mental health systems. We understand our children are always our children regardless of age and it is imperative for these families to know there is hope, PCMH provides a pathway to managing the struggles of mental health challenges. PCMH is the only provincial organization with a Chapter community that impacts and cares for the families in the neighbourhoods in which they operate. We LINK families to important networks within their communities to ensure they get the care they need and the support of famliies who can relate and support them. WE UNDERSTAND the issues around child and youth mental health challengegs and the stigma that prevents the work and conversations that need to happen. WE HELP communities and families access important resources so they can begin their journey of healing.

6. Our Principles and Hopes • That there will be an ongoing dialogue for a world free from stigma and discrimination attached to mental illness • To ensure those families with a child/youth suffering with mental health challenges will feel loved and supported by their communities • To provide a safe place where families will recognize it is OK to ask for help for their families and themselves • To empower our members to become active participants of change • To be a source of relevant and current information for families We Really Care

7. Our Purpose • Educate:  Promote understanding of children’s mental health and respect for families. • Empower:  Provide a broad network, increase membership.  Be a strong voice, be proactive, be visible to public.  Work with Government. • Support: Provide timely, accurate, concrete, appropriate information.  Provide compassionate guidance.  Offer peer support.

8. PCMH Programs & Services • Educational workshops • Peer to Peer support • Family Support Provider • Family Engagement Training • Consultation • Community Mobilization

9. Community Support Programs • Community Support Groups, family-led by volunteers across the Province • Online and one to one mentorship and peer to peer support and navigation provided • Facilitation of establishment of community-based agency partnerships to offer family-led support programming

10. Education Support • Educational workshops offered include: • From the Inside: A Look at the Invisible Disability • From the Family Perspective • Opening Up – A Family Perspective for Educators • Family Engagement Training • Suicide the “S” word • Family Support Provider Training • Capacity Building Opportunities for our volunteers • Online support • Support and mentorship provided by PCMH Staff and Board • Annual Leadership Summit • Sponsorship to conferences and course of interest and value throughout the year • Monthly newsletters to membership • Social Media Communication

11. Advocacy • Collaboration and Participation in Coalitions and Collaboratives • The Coalition for Child and Youth Mental Health • Community planning tables where community family leaders represent family voice • Consultation • The Parent and Youth Advisory Committee to System Transition in Ontario • Advisory Committee to the Ontario Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health • ADHOC Consultation on Provincial, National, and International Committees • Government Relations • Media Relations • Social Media Activity • Mental Health Week Awareness Activities • Community, grass-roots advocacy with local politicians

12. Partners • Children’s Mental Health Ontario • Ontario Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health • Kinark Family and Child Services • Peel Children’s Centre • Many local initiatives and collaborations building both partnerships and relationships provincially

13. Fundraising • Individual Donations • Corporate Donations • Membership Fees (Agency) • Grant funding • Fees for Services such as workshops, consultations

14. Organization Make-Up

15. Community Self-Help Groups • Peer-led support groups are offered throughout the province. • Groups are on-going in nature, facilitated by peer volunteers, who often bring in subject matter experts or speakers to provide support, education and information on specific issues or matters.

16. How We Promote Family Engagement • Educational workshops • Family Engagement Training Curriculum Development and ongoing consultation • Advocacy at a Provincial Government Level • Advocacy within agencies, and child and youth serving systems/sectors • Education of families

17. Family Support Provider • Specifically trained peer mentors (family support providers) linked with families accessing child and youth mental health services • FSPs identify family strengths/needs and identify both formal and informal family supports • FSPs work with families to develop a family support plan (focused on strengths and capacity building of the family) • FSPs work with all members of the family team to develop a single, co-ordinated, and integrated treatment plan • FSPs provide ongoing emotional, navigation, and peer to peer support to family • FSPs provide ongoing consultation and support to community-based mental health agencies in providing services to families

18. Contact Information Sarah Cannon Executive Director Parents for Children’s Mental Health PO Box 20004, St. Catharines L2M 7G7 Tel: 416-220-0472 admin@pcmh.ca www.pcmh.ca Or scannon@cogeco.ca