The Couch (Often) Is the Treatment: Giving Voice to Homeless and Street-Involved Youth and their Service Providers In Central East Region

In the Spring of 2008, the Central East Office of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services committed to a review of transfer payment funded residential services within the Children’s Mental Health sector. The review process examined a wide range of issues and themes within service delivery mechanisms pursuant to this sector and worked collaboratively with service providers to ensure that multiple perspectives and approaches informed the process. To this end, the review engaged not only with children’s mental health service providers, but also with the Francophone Community and aboriginal communities within the geographic boundaries of Central East Region. The region provides funding for three youth homeless shelters1 within the Children’s Mental Health funding envelope and therefore one additional group that needed to be given a voice was that of homeless or street-involved youth and their service providers.