The Health Department has a team of Mental Health Liaison Nurses (MHLN) who work one to one directly with students in Halton secondary schools and in grades 6 - 8 in Halton elementary schools. They provide early identification for youth who present with mental health issues and/or psychiatric symptoms.

By identifying youth at risk early on in the course of mental health problems, treatment and recovery happen more quickly. For some youth, consultation with the MHLN is the first point of access to the mental health care system.

• What does the Mental Health Liaison Program offer?
• Who can make a referral?
• How can I make a referral?
• Teen Behaviour to Call Us About
• More about Youth Mental Health

What does the Mental Health Liaison Program offer?

• Mental health and early risk assessment
• Consultations with parents, schools, community and health professionals to access timely mental health services
• Brief supportive counselling and/or specific therapeutic intervention
• Referral to appropriate health care services and community resources
• Liaison between student, family, school communities and other professionals

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Who can make a referral?

Anyone can make a referral to the MHLN Program. However, the youth must agree to the referral and be willing to participate prior to the initial meeting.

• Self-referrals - individual youth
• Families / Caregivers
• School Resource Teams (SRTs)
• Child or Youth Public Health Nurses
• Hospitals
• Family Doctors
• Psychiatrists and Psychologists
• Community Agencies

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How can I make a referral?

• Anyone wishing to make a referral can call Halton Region and ask for the Mental Health Liaison Program.

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Teen behaviour to call us about

• Always angry
• Disconnected from friends
• Trying to parent you
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Not interested in school
• Expressing negativity towards most things and people
• Consistently disrespecting/ challenging authority figures
• Anxious kids
• Overly sad kids

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More about Youth Mental Health

• Key changes during Adolescence
  • Physical and emotional changes arising from puberty
  • Social changes brought about by new roles, responsibilities and expectations
  • Intellectual changes due to the transition from concrete to abstract thinking
• Unhealthy ways youth cope
  • Behaviour – avoiding or skipping school, disrupted eating or sleeping patterns
  • Social interaction – withdrawal from family and friends
  • Relationships – strained or troubled
  • Emotions – extreme mood swings, or feeling out of control
  • Attitudes and Beliefs – negative feelings and thoughts that situations will not improve
  • Academics – falling grades and loss of interest
  • Decision-making – struggle with daily decisions or choices
  • Problem-solving – difficulty coping with daily demands

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We can help. There is no health without Mental Health.