A new walk-in counselling clinic for youth is opening on March 19 at Northumberland Hills Hospital and no physician referral is required.
The new service is a collaboration between Northumberland Hills Hospital’s community mental health service, Rebound Child and Youth Services and Northumberland Community Counselling Centre.
The new youth walk-in counselling office will be located at Northumberland Hills Hospital community mental health offices at 1011 Elgin St. W., Suite 200, Cobourg.
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Area youth between the ages of seven to 16 can be seen at the youth walk-in clinic on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Clients will meet with a community mental health staff member for assessment for appropriateness of walk-in support. Confirmed clients will receive a same-day counselling appointment with a counsellor from Northumberland Hills Hospital, Rebound Child and Youth Services or Northumberland Community Counselling Services.
There is no limit to the number of times local youth and their families may access the new walk-in counselling clinic.
All other services at Northumberland Hills Hospital’s community mental health services will continue to operate as usual.
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“Wait times for care have decreased, and client access to treatment has increased as a result of the adult walk-in counselling option,” said Jennifer Cox, the hospital’s integrated community mental health director. “We have seen a significant uptake in the option for return counselling visits, and walk-in visitors have risen from 96 visits a month in April 2018 to 173 visits a month in November 2018.”
The total number of youth requiring mental health support is also on the rise, according to area agencies.
Northumberland Hills Hospital’s mental health crisis visits involving youth have increased significantly from 2014/2015 to 2018/2019.
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