Trusted Resources

You are on: Trusted Resources for Parents

Kids Help Phone

http://kidshelpphone.ca
Kids Help Phone has been providing free, confidential and anonymous support to youth for over two decades. In addition to having a wealth of information for kids and teens, this site is a great resource for parents across Canada looking for information on children’s mental health issues, including responses to real questions that have come in from kids. Check out the Critical Issues Reports - publications based on real issues identified through Kids Help Phone's users.

Healthy Minds Canada

www.healthymindscanada.ca
Healthy Minds Canada (formerly the Canadian Psychiatric Research Foundation) provides a number of good publications and resources on its website, including downloadable reference guides with useful coping strategies and resources for parents and caregivers

eMentalHealth.ca

ementalhealth.ca
Mental health problems are common, yet those who are struggling often don’t know where to go for help. eMentalHealth.ca provides an online directory of mental health services by community. Other useful resources include mental health screening tools , a calendar of upcoming events in the field, and mental health info sheets .

ABC’s of Mental Health

hincksdellcrest.org/ABC/Welcome
The ABCs of Mental Health provides two free, web-based resources - one for teachers and one for parents – to help answer questions about children’s mental health, the warning signs and how to respond. Resources include ideas for promoting the mental health of children and adolescents, information on how children change as they get older, descriptions of behaviours that might indicate a problem and practical suggestions for steps to take.

Empowering Parents

www.empoweringparents.com
This social networking site provides useful problem-solving techniques to parents and children. Not only does it provide a wealth of information through a weekly newsletter and podcasts , it also has a forum where parents can ask questions, voice their concerns and hear from other parents and professionals.

Offord Center for Child Studies

http://www.offordcentre.com/
A branch of the Offord Centre for Child Studies, the Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development provides quality information on children’s mental health issues. The Centre has sifted through conflicting information to provide the best resources for parents. The website features downloadable pamphlets that focus on various children’s mental health disorders, available in English, French, Punjabi, Simplified and Traditional Chinese. Each pamphlet has a resource section that points parents to further information, including step-by-step guides, books for young people, videos and websites.

The F.O.R.C.E. Society for Kids Mental Health

http://www.forcesociety.com/
The F.O.R.C.E. Society for Kids' Mental Health provides families with an opportunity to speak with other families who have dealt with mental health issues and may be able to offer support or advice on what has worked for them. The organization’s website also provides families and professionals with information, tools, and tips on how to support and assist children with mental health difficulties.

National Institute for Mental Health

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml
This American organization has a wealth of information on children’s (and adult) mental health issues useful for parents on both sides of the border. The site has information on incidence, diagnostics and preferred treatments. Check out the page specific to kids’ mental health issues .

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

www.camh.ca
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is Canada’s largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in the area of addiction and mental health. The Centre’s Child, Youth and Family Program is committed to client-centred care, providing intensive and specialized services for young people with mental health and/or addiction problems. Under Resources for Parents , you can find a list of tips to help parents relate to their teenagers by Dr. David Wolfe, RBC Investments Chair in Children's Mental Health and Developmental Psychology.

Mental Health Commission of Canada

www.mentalhealthcommission.ca
The Mental Health Commission of Canada is a catalyst for improving the mental health system and changing the attitudes and behaviours of Canadians around mental health issues. The Knowledge Exchange Centre is an initiative with a mandate to improve mental health in Canada over the next 10 years.

Parents for Children’s Mental Health

http://www.pcmh.ca
Parents for Children’s Mental Health provides advocacy, support and community services to families. The website hosts a helpful forum where parents and families can find the support they need. Check out the Resources section for information on how to get help and what to expect from mental health services.

Children's Mental Health Ontario

http://www.kidsmentalhealth.ca
Children's Mental Health Ontario represents and supports the providers of child and youth mental health treatment services throughout Ontario. In addition to providing resources for youth, the site offers resources for parents, such as finding a child and youth mental health centre in your area, information on getting help, and recognizing the early signs of mental illness.

Resources for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities

National Aboriginal Health Organization

www.naho.ca
The National Aboriginal Health Organization promotes the advancement of health and well-being for all First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals, families and communities. The website features fact sheets on topics such as bullying, mental health and suicide with information specifically for youth, parents and teachers.

Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health

www.wabano.com
The Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health is a leader in community-based, holistic healthcare for Canada’s First Peoples. The mental health programs provide comprehensive and culturally relevant services for individuals and families. The Parenting Bundle offers traditional knowledge and experiential learning to promote positive, nurturing interaction between parents and children.

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Tips and Information from the Experts

Here you will find useful tips and information about children's mental health, courtesy of our network of experts from across Canada. We encourage you to share these as widely as possible.

If you are a journalist, you may use the content below freely as a basis for your own reporting, with the credit line “Used courtesy of the RBC Children’s Mental Health Project”.

Words of Wisdom on Children's Mental Health

(A message of hope from a parent whose child suffers from a mental illness)

• Long Version
• Short Version

Anxiety in Children and Youth

(Identifying and treating anxiety disorders in children)

• Long Version
• Short Version
• Chinese Version
• Punjabi Version
• Urdu Version

Teenage Depression: Separating Myth from Reality

(A list of common myths about teenage depression)

• Long Version
• Short Version

Spotlight on Children's Mental Health

(Why we often have difficulty identifying mental health illness in our children, and what to do if you think your child has a mental health issue)

• Long Version
• Short Version
• Chinese Version
• Punjabi Version
• Urdu Version

The Walrus/RBC Conversation Series on Children’s Mental Health

RBC has teamed up with the Walrus Magazine to present a national series of conversation events with a focus on children’s mental health. These informative, one-hour events are moderated by well-known journalists or public figures with knowledge about children’s mental health issues and are intended to raise awareness about the issues and challenges families face when dealing with their children’s mental health issues. We hope to help foster a community that can provide the best treatment possible for children and parents, so videotapes of all the conversations are available on the Walrus’ website.

Watch videos

Healthy Kids Inside and Out: 2011 Children’s Mental Health Survey

Each year, the RBC Children’s Mental Health Project commissions a survey of Canadian parents on the topic of children’s mental health. We share the results with our partners and the Canadian public.

• 2011 Research Results
• 2010 Research Results

RBC & Today's Parent Special Report: Children's Mental Health

The RBC Children's Mental Health Project partnered with Today's Parent magazine on a cross-Canada survey revealing how much – and how little – parents know about what's going on inside young minds.

Four-page article

* The content and articles provided here are for informational purpose only and not intended to provide any specific medical or parenting advice. If you have concerns about your child's mental health you should speak to your family medical practitioner and seek out the resources of experts in your community.

You are on: Where to turn for Help

Parents tell us it’s emotionally exhausting and painful to acknowledge that their child might have a mental health issue. Once they do, it can be equally exhausting to try and find the right services and resources to help. We would like to assist by providing access to trusted sources of information for parents and health care professionals. The organizations listed below are all current donation recipients under the RBC Children’s Mental Health Project. They are great starting points for parents and kids seeking information and resources.

NATIONAL

Canadian Mental Health Association
The Canadian Mental Health Association promotes the mental health of all and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness. The CMHA accomplishes this mission through advocacy, education, research and service.
www.cmha.ca

Healthy Minds Canada
This national charity funds mental health research and helps improve service and support systems for the millions of Canadians affected by mental health problems by educating families, teachers and service providers about mental health research outcomes and best practices.
http://healthymindscanada.ca/

Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s leading youth counselling service, moving kids from distress and isolation to confidence and competence. Available anytime of the day or night, in English and French, by phone and by web. It is the go-to resource for kids in Canada aged five to 20, when they need help or trustworthy information on issues that are difficult to discuss with anyone else. Contact 1-800-668-6868 or www.kidshelpphone.ca

ATLANTIC CANADA

Janeway Children's Hospital Foundation, Newfoundland & Labrador
Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre provides pediatric health care in Newfoundland and Labrador.
www.easternhealth.ca/OurServices.aspx

IWK Health Centre Charitable Foundation, Halifax
The IWK Health Centre provides quality care to women, children, youth and families in the Maritimes and beyond.
www.iwk.nshealth.ca

QUEBEC

Fondation des maladies mentales, Montreal
The Mental Illness Foundation has three main objectives: prevent mental illness, reduce the suffering of those affected and mobilize those affected and the society surrounding them to fight the consequences of mental illness.
www.fmm-mif.ca/en

ONTARIO

Algonquin Child and Family Services, North Bay & Muskoka regions
Algonquin Child and Family Services (ACFS) serves youth and offers children's mental health services to young clients and families with developmental challenges across the North Bay and Muskoka regions.
www.thefamilyhelpnetwork.ca

Child Development Institute, Toronto
The Child Development Institute is a leader in services focused on early learning, aggressive child behavior and family violence.
www.childdevelop.ca

Lutherwood, Waterloo
Lutherwood provides a wide range of mental health, employment development, housing, and family support services. Lutherwood annually serves more than 18,500 people in Waterloo Region and Wellington County.
www.lutherwood.ca

Youthlink, Toronto
YOUTHLINK is dedicated to providing youth with the support, guidance and opportunities they need to make positive life choices and achieve their potential.
www.youthlink.ca

ALBERTA

Hull Child and Family Services, Calgary
Hull Child and Family Services is a leader in serving children, adults, and families who experience significant mental health, behavioural and developmental challenges.
www.hullservices.ca

BRITISH COLUMBIA

The F.O.R.C.E. Society for Kids’ Mental Health, Vancouver
This BC-based parent-led advocacy and support organization invites parents and caregivers to monthly support and network sessions held in almost every region in BC.
http://www.forcesociety.com/