2024-25 Services delivered: community programs — targeted prevention

Component: Young Parent Services

Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA)

Service objectives

Community program services

The transfer payment recipient will provide services and supports that address a range of social, emotional, behavioural, psychological and/or psychiatric problems to children and youth and/or focus on building resilience or capacity in families and in high-risk communities.

The provision of targeted community program services will be informed by evidence to support service quality. This includes evidence-based practice, evaluation findings, the expertise of clinicians, and the lived experience of children, youth, and families.

Service description

Program/service features

The Program/services contracted by the ministry will reflect the following features.

The transfer payment recipient will deliver targeted community programs that focus on changing views and behaviours, building skills and competencies and/or creating awareness and resiliency through the provision of information, education, and programming to defined at-risk populations

• The transfer payment recipient will work across sectors such as health and education, through community planning
• Strong community partnerships will support the development of a comprehensive approach to targeted prevention
• Targeted community programs may occur in a variety of settings including education, health and community settings, and may involve health practitioners and educators as partners

Targeted community program activities are

• Therapeutic activities that intervene in, or avert the development or occurrence of a mental health problem
• Aimed at increasing the child, youth and/or family’s capacity to understand mental health problems, identify these problems early in the course of illness and change perspectives and enhance resiliency; and
• Avenues to promote early identification of mental health problems, provide timely, effective early intervention, and develop skills in the target populations

Targeted community programs address specific risk factors. It does not include broad universal programming.

Target population

The target population is children and youth under 18 years of age who have been identified as a member of a group that shares a significant risk factor. These children or youth would generally require services within level two of the continuum of needs- based services and supports.

Identification of risk factors should be conducted in careful consultation (subject to applicable legislation, regulation and policy directives, including privacy and consent requirements), with those most familiar with the children/youth. This includes families, teachers, educational assistants, child and youth workers, staff of core transfer payment recipients and child-care centres, probation officers, and primary care practitioners.

Availability of service

The transfer payment recipient will provide targeted community program services activities in their designated service area.

Ministry expectations

The following are minimum ministry expectations for the delivery of targeted community program services

• The service helps children/youth and their families and increases their resiliency by building their skills and competencies
• The service identifies the objective of the prevention activity and is designed to counter or mitigate a significant risk factor without stigmatizing the children or youth
• The transfer payment recipient will deliver targeted community program services in an evidence-informed manner, using evidence-informed tools and practices to support positive outcomes for children and youth
• The transfer payment recipient will review clients’ progress on a regular basis and adjust services, as needed
• The approach to the delivery of targeted community program services will be strengths-based, and centred on individuals, considering and respecting their needs and preferences
• The transfer payment recipient will provide its clients with information regarding additional community services and supports that may be suitable and, where appropriate, supported in accessing these services (e.g., through a referral)
• Targeted community program services will be delivered by individuals with an appropriate range of skills and abilities necessary to respond effectively to the needs of children, youth and their families
• The intervention/treatment process will promote client involvement, partnership and shared decision-making so that all parties understand the goals and desired outcomes
• The transfer payment recipient will bring key partners in multi-disciplinary service delivery together, where appropriate, to provide an integrated and coordinated service response to help meet the needs of children, youth and their families

Individual planning and goal setting

Each individual will have a current Plan of Care that reflects an assessment of their needs and preferences. The Plan of Care will identify the specific services/supports received by the individual, the expected outcomes and be based on the principles of person-centred planning, self-determination and choice.

Service system planning and information reporting

In carrying out these requirements, the transfer payment recipient will work in collaboration with community partners in their service area to plan for and align local services so that children, youth and their families know what child and youth mental health services are available in their communities; and how to access the mental health services and supports that meet their needs

Reporting requirements

The following service data will be reported on at an Interim and Final stage. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates and targets.