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Education key tool in destigmatizing mental health issues: Dr. Alan Brown by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver 11 | Thursday, May 15, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Dr. Alan Brown says education can be a powerful tool when it comes to destigmatizing mental health issues. To promote Children's Mental Health Week (May 4-10), Brown and other professionals from Halton Healthcare Services' (HHS) child and youth mental health programs hosted an open house last week in Oakville. The goal was to increase awareness of HHS' mental health services and create networking opportunities for healthcare professionals. While Brown feels stigma surrounding children's mental health has "diminished somewhat" because of increased school support, he said it is "still huge and we have a huge battle ahead of us. "If you haven't got your mental health, nothing else works very well. You can't learn, you can't relate to your peers, you can't go out and hold a job. There are dramatic negative side effects of not managing mental health issues more appropriately," said Brown, HHS chief of psychiatry. "If we help raise kids through the home, schools, teachers and educators, we can impact all the kids in our community -- not just the 25 per cent who will end up having a mental health disorder." Fragmented services major obstacle The psychiatrist said fragmentation of services has become a major obstacle for those dealing with mental health and addiction issues, particularly with children and youths. "We have different groups from different ministries trying to address mental health in different ways. Many times, that leads to us not helping a kid or adolescent get the right program for treatment at the right time," said Brown. The more awareness health agencies can create for the different programs and services available, "the better we can get patients, who may not need to be in our system, out to theirs," he added. Preventing a `fall through the cracks' Navigator Program's Tinga Heusser said it was designed to help prevent children and youths aged six to 18 from "falling through the cracks." Heusser explained Navigator helps families connect with a specific service if problems don't warrant hospitalization or if they're unable to reach an outpatient program. "There have been a lot fewer hospitalizations and more families who've had success. We've really been lucky because the community has been helpful in assisting us with those connections," she said. Those who seek help for mental illness at an see REACH on p.19 From left, Phoenix Program Co-ordinator Milinda Alexander, REACH Child & Family Clinician Crystal Rutherford, Eating Disorders Program Social Worker Andrea Ward, Child & Youth Outpatient (CYO) Department - Child and Family Clinician Jennifer Yates, Navigator Program Social Worker Nadia Silva, Halton Healthcare Services (HHS) and Joseph Brant Chief Department of Psychiatry Dr. Alan Brown and CYO Dr. Carl Bradley networked at the HHS Child and Youth Mental Health Services open house last Tuesday. | photo by Nikki Wesley ­ Oakville Beaver Thank You Acclaim Health Nurses! "The nurses were wonderful, just wonderful. Lynn looked forward to their visits because they were so caring, so attentive. We'd joke and laugh. They were so compassionate. It meant everything to my wife to be at home." ~Frank Sherwin [ w w w. a c c l a i m h e a l t h . c a ] APPLEBY SUMMER CAMPS JUNE 23-AUGUST 29, 2014 DISCOVERY CAMPS (AGES 4-7) SPORTS & ADVENTURE CAMPS (AGES 7-15) ARTS & MEDIA CAMPS (AGES 7-15) SCIENCE & SUCCESS CAMPS (AGES 7-15) Wit With h mo more re t than han 50 p programs rograms a and nd ov over er 220 w weekly eekly ses sessions, sions, A Appleby ppleby C Camps amps h has as so something mething fo for re everyone! ver yone! L Led ed b by yh highly ighly q qualified ualified A Appleby ppleby s staff, taff, w we e off er lo wc amper t oi nstructor r atios, d aily sw ims, n utritious l unches, f amily e vents a nd sho ws, a ll lo cated o n ou rb eautiful 60acre l akeside c ampus i n offer low camper to instructor ratios, daily swims, nutritious lunches, family events and shows, all located on our beautiful 60-acre lakeside campus in southwest Oakville. New Summer Camp programs for 2014 include Martial Arts, Stop-Motion Animation, Adventures in Math, VEX Robotics and Overnight Temagami Canoe Trips to complement our outstanding sports, arts and science camps. Before and after care is available. Make us your choice for summer friendship, sports and fun! To learn more about Appleby Camps, please call 905-845-4681 ext.113 or visit www.appleby.on.ca/camps