Provincial Facts

• 70% of mental health problems first appear during childhood or adolescence, when treatment is most likley to be successful
• 1 in 5 young people are diagnosed with mental health challenges
• more than 25,000 children and youth in Ontario are in need of mental health services and supports
• Research shows that treatment works
• Ontario’s 85 Children’s Mental Health Centres treat 120,000 children
• Every year approximately 10,000 kids are waiting for services
• The average wait for treatment is 7.5 months
• Suicide is the the leading cause of non-accidental death among children and youth in Ontario
• More children die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, respiratory illness and diabetes combined
• It costs $128,000 to keep someone in youth detention for one year
• It costs $2,250 on average to treat one child for one year
• Untreated mental health problems in children increases the already high costs of child welfare, youth justice and special education, and the many costs associated with chronic illness
• The earlier a child receives treatment, the better success of the child living a productive life as an adult
• The right opportunity at the right time can change a young person’s life
• Investing in children is the mark of a compassionate society
• Today’s children are Canada’s intellectual, economic and social future