Youth mental health site to open in Fergus this spring

A mental health services site aimed at young people between the ages of 12 and 26 will open this spring in Fergus,the Canadian Mental Health Association of Waterloo-Wellington (CMHA WW) said in a news release.

The site will offer services such as mental health and addiction counselling to an estimated 5,000 teenagers and young adults in the area.It's part of a projectknown as the Integrated Youth Services Network (IYSN), which will ultimately include seven sites across Wellington County and Guelph.

"[The IYSN] will have a 'one-door' policy which is a huge benefit to youth," Helen Fishburn, executive director for CMHA WW, said in the news release.

"It means that a young person will only need to tell their story once in order to access and use the services at any of the sites."

A website for the IYSN notes that youth in Guelph and Wellington have often struggled to find mental health services, and have to sit on lengthy wait lists to get the help they need.

A lack of both services and public transportation can make it especially difficult for families in Wellington County to find help, according to Cyndy MoffattForsyth, director of the IYSN.

"Ifyour child has an eating disorder, right now you've got tofigure out a way to get your child to Waterloo for counselling or to Guelph for counselling," said MoffattForsyth."Let's say you work full time, what are you going to do, put you child in a taxi to get the treatments they need?"

Once the Fergus site opens, MoffattForsyth said, that will change.

"Youth after school can pop in for a treatment session or counselling session," she said.

The Fergus location will be based out of the Skyline Community Hub, alongside other non-profits such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and Family Counselling and Support Services for Guelph-Wellington.

CMHAWW said there will be foursites in Guelph and three in Wellington County: Fergus, Erin and Palmerston. The association hopes to raise $10 million to fund all seven locations.