Emergencies

If you or your child is currently experiencing an emergency, please call 911 or go to your local emergency room.

Children 17 and Under:

McMaster Children’s Hospital
1200 Main St W,
Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5

Individuals 18 and Over:

St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton – Charlton Campus
50 Charlton Ave E
Hamilton ON L8N 4A6

Counselling

Kids Help Phone – Counselling Available 24/7
Phone and web-based counselling available for children/youth up to the age of 20.

Phone: 24/7 at 1-800-668-6868
Web: Wed-Sun, 6pm-2am at KidsHelpPhone

Crisis Services – COAST’s 24/7 Crisis Line

To call COAST in a crisis: 24-Hour Crisis Line 905-972-8338.

Toll Free:  1-844-972-8338

COAST is a program through St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. It stands for “Crisis Outreach and Support Team”. They are a mobile crisis team made up of Crisis Workers who can assist in a mental health-related crisis situation.

The COAST Program provides service to all ages who reside in the Hamilton area. It also provides mental health information to parents or caregivers of a child or youth in a mental health crisis.

For more information, see www.coasthamilton.ca

 

Assessment and Treatment

There are a few different access points for mental health services should you suspect your child or youth is experiencing signs and symptoms of a mental health issue. Trained professionals will be able to direct you to the best place for services, depending on your circumstances.

• Family Doctor- contact your family doctor.
• School Social Worker- inquire at your school.
• CONTACT Hamilton provides information to anyone about available services for children, youth and their families, and referrals where appropriate. A phone intake is required. Call CONTACT Hamilton at 905-570-8888 or make an online referral https://contacthamilton.com/make-a-referral/.

What to do While Waiting

1. Check out groups available for children, youth and teens.
2. Connect with the Hamilton chapter of Parents for Children’s Mental Health, a local parent support group with the goal to support, educate and empower parents.
   www.pcmh.ca/hamilton
3. Check out online resources like these:
   a.   www.yourspacehamilton.ca
   b.   Anxiety
   c.   Depression
   d.   What to do while awaiting resource from CHEO
4. A variety of resources and webinars on several mental health topics for both children/youth and caregivers are available at yourspacehamilton.ca
5. Keep your family doctor, mental health professional or Resource Coordinator at Contact Hamilton updated on any changes.

Support for Parents

There are a number of different groups available to parents in the community:

• Parents for Children’s Mental Health
  Parent led group, with the goal to support, educate and empower parents.

Groups for Parents and/or Children available in the community without referrals:

• Lynwood Charlton Centre Community Groups
  These include the Mom and Kids Group,  Mom’s Group,  Recreation Group Program and Temper Tamers program
• Community Education Service
  Helps connect parents to high-quality information and courses about common childhood problems.
• City of Hamilton
  The City offers a number of groups for parents of children up to the age of six.