VICTORIA, B.C. – The Ministry of Children and Family Development funds 100 walk-in intake clinics around the province, where children and youth who may be struggling with mental health challenges can get assessed and connected to supports and services.
Not everyone knows there are walk-in intake clinics around the Province. These clinics funded by the Ministry of Children and Family Development are set up for children and youth who might be struggling with mental health challenges.
These children and youth can be assessed and connected to services and supports for challenges ranging from anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, to family conflict, emotional dysregulation and trauma. Self-harm and problems related to alcohol and drugs are common issues for the children and youth who come into the Child and Youth Mental Health clinics.
“With school in full swing, midterms over and the holiday season on the horizon, December makes sense as a time for parents to check in with their children to see how things are going,” said Wade Maybie, a registered nurse at the Child and Youth Mental Health (CYMH) Clinic in Saanich B.C.
Maybie says it’s best to call ahead to be sure you are within the clinic’s catchment area. That’s true for all clinics in B.C.
“Sometimes it’s possible that what the caller really needs is a referral to a different community resource, and once the initial screening meeting occurs, the team looks at the best fit for services,” Maybie said.
The following are our local area B.C. Mental Health Intake Offices;