Mental Health Support for Youth

Yes, our mental health services are free. We are funded by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS). This means we are able to provide high-quality, evidence-based mental health services by professional counsellors for free to children, youth, their families and caregivers. Your OHIP card is not required to access support.

We also receive financial support from our community of fabulous donors, who help to ensure that we are able to support children, youth, their families and caregivers in those areas our funding doesn’t cover.

Many of our counsellors have received training through Safer Spaces that provides professional development workshops to creaTe more inclusive programs and workplaces for 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

As an organization, New Path is committed to prioritizing and integrating principles of equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI) and belonging in its service delivery and communication. Our strategic plan has four pillars: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Partners; Programs; and People. These pillars set the foundation for our efforts to move towards our vision of healthy, thriving communities that support personal growth and wellbeing and achieve our mission: Through leadership and partnerships, we ensure that children and youth have integrated, accessible, and inclusive mental health services when and where they need them.

Internally, our EDI team works to broaden our knowledge and perspectives through initiatives and activities such as an EDI calendar, an inclusive language guide and a virtual EDI library.

If you are under the age of 16, your parent(s) or guardian will also be allowed to make some decisions about your health record. But they won’t be able to make decisions about any records about treatment or counselling where we asked for your permission alone.

We encourage you to share information with your family and other caregivers to have supports you need. We also encourage you to ask your healthcare provider questions to find out more about privacy and your family and caregivers.

As you grow you undergo many changes and can experience different moods, thoughts and behaviours that are all part of normal development. Some of these include: outbursts of anger, acting out or rebelling, changes in sleeping or eating habits, or frequent mood swings.

However, if these moods, thoughts and behaviours become intense, persist over a long period of time, or interfere with your life, it may signal a mental health concern. If this is the case, it is a good idea to access support to understand what is happening and develop a plan to help.

When you book an appointment with a professional counsellor, they will work with you to understand your concerns, answer your questions, guide you through the services that are available, and as needed can match you with support in the community that best meets your needs. You will always leave with a plan in place and often one appointment is enough to make a big difference, but you can come back as many times as you need to.

During your one hour session, you will have the opportunity to speak with a counsellor who will work with you to gain a better understanding of the concern that has brought you to the clinic and/or help you to develop strategies for this concern.

The counsellor will complete a summary note that will include feedback, recommendations, and a possible referral to other supports/services at New Path or within the community as needed.

If you access the clinic for additional support, the same clinician may not always be available. Don’t worry, we are all here to help.

Please note that New Path does not diagnose specific conditions or disorders nor can we provide a medication treatment review.

The Quick Access Counselling Clinic provides a one-hour counselling session and can be your first step to accessing other New Path services as needed. To book an appointment, visit the Quick Access Counselling Clinic webpage. If you don’t have online access, you can call New Path at 705-725-7656. We will get you the mental health support you need.

In-person mental health services are available in communities throughout Simcoe County:
Alliston
Barrie
Bradford
Collingwood
Midland (through the North Simcoe Youth Wellness Hub)
Orillia
Services are also available by-phone and online.

Regardless of whether your session is in-person, on the phone, or online, there is paperwork to complete. There may also be some additional questionnaires to complete if you attend an in-person session.
To provide the best service possible, we need to collect and use information, including personal health information, about you and your child/youth. We are committed to keeping this information safe and confidential. We follow rules set out in law about collecting, using and disclosing information and providing you with access to your information.
For further details, please read our Privacy Policy and What to Expect as a New Path Client documents
Information for your counselling appointment is collected through a secure online platform.. If you do not have access to a computer, please call us at 705-725-7656 to book your appointment.
Personal information collected includes your full name, phone number, address, and date of birth.