A mental health care service for Niagara's youth remains open during this latest lockdown in Ontario.
Deemed an essential service, Pathstone Mental Health remains open for in-person mental health support.
Officials are reaching out to their clients and families to make arrangements for their sessions in the format best for them, including in-person, over the phone, or via video.
With any in-person appointment, clients will be screened in advance, asked to sanitize their hands, and masks will be mandatory.
A physical distance of 6ft (2 meters) will also be respected.
Meantime, effective today all Pathstone Mental Health in-person walk-in clinics have been closed until Jan. 10th.
"With nearly two years of pandemic restrictions and measures, mental health support is not only an essential service, it's become a life-line for so many children and youth in Niagara. Preventing access to care would be more harmful that beneficial for the thousands of young people we see each year. January and February as well as September and October tend to be two of the busiest mental health seasons at Pathstone." Shaun Baylis, CEO Pathstone Mental Health
"We also know that the preference of many is to speak to someone in person, privately, versus over the phone or over video. Clients come first. Being able to offer mental health support and access in many forms ensures we are best supporting our youngest clients the way they are most comfortable and in a way that will be most beneficial to them." Kim Rossi, Director of Philanthropy & PR