The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) is working in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington (CMHA WW) to open a new Care and Treatment Education Program (CTEP) to support youth with mental health and substance use disorder.
CTEPs, formerly known as Education Community Partnership Programs, are designed for students whose need for treatment is greater than their need for academic support. These programs are not special education class placements. Instead, they provide a coordinated approach that supports both learning and treatment.
Each CTEP operates in partnership with a community agency whose mandate focuses on non-academic supports such as mental health, substance use, and emotional regulation. In this new program, UGDSB will provide educational staff to ensure continuity of learning, while CMHA WW will provide therapeutic support.
The new program was developed collaboratively by UGDSB and CMHA WW throughout the fall. It will serve students in Grades 8 to 12 and is intended to create a safe and inclusive learning environment where students can build the skills needed to begin the transition back to a community school.
The Interactive Substance Use Program is accessible to youth ages 12 – 25. Service is available in-person and virtually. It offers individual and group interventions as well as skill development and well-being supports through which youth will work to achieve their goals.
By combining academic teaching with access to mental health and substance use professionals, the program aims to help students overcome barriers to attending school while working toward earning school credits.
“The goal is to provide therapeutic supports and an academic team as we aim to transition those students back to their home schools alongside their peers,” said April King, UGDSB Principal of Care and Treatment and Special Education Accessibility.
“This program meets youth where they are and supports their goals. We help young people who are dealing with both mental health and substance use challenges by offering clinical care, peer support, and referrals to additional services. By working collaboratively with the UGDSB, CMHA WW, the Guelph Wellington Youth Hubs, and the Ontario Youth Wellness Hub network, our teams, peer supporters, and families can offer youth a full range of connected services to support their recovery,” said Krista Sibbilin, Director of Children’s Services.
The Interactive Substance Use Program is scheduled to open in the second half of the school year and will be located at The Grove Youth Wellness Hub, 737 Woolwich Street, Guelph. It will serve youth across Guelph and Wellington, with access also available through the Palmerston and Fergus Youth Wellness Hubs. Families and caregivers with questions about the program are encouraged to speak with their CMHA WW worker if they are already engaged in service, call Here24/7 at 1 844 437 3247, or attend the Children’s Walk In Service, available every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the CMHA WW office at 737 Woolwich Street, Guelph. Applications for the program can only be accessed through CMHA WW services.