Bell Let's Talk Community Fund 2022 | Children's Health Foundation

Supplementary Information for the Bell Let's Talk Community Fund 2022

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Care Program at Children’s Hospital in London, Ontario delivers expert and compassionate clinical services for children and youth during more than 13,000 patient visits annually.

Among the challenges patients face are anxiety disorders; mood disorders; suicidal behaviours; post-traumatic stress syndrome; psychotic disorders; anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and other eating issues. Children’s Hospital provides inpatient care for assessment and crisis stabilization for London, Middlesex, Elgin and Oxford counties, and outpatient services to London-Middlesex.

Children’s Hospital is here to help kids be kids through compassionate and evidence-based treatment.

One of those patients was Charlotte...

For 11-year-old Charlotte, the fear started as small ripples, when Charlotte’s hands became red from over-washing. Ripples grew into waves as Charlotte changed her clothes multiple times a day and was afraid to touch her backpack. Eventually, she spent hours every day afraid to eat, sleep, even breathe.

“It was absolutely terrifying during my anxiety attacks. My brain would fixate on a “danger” that anyone else could write off as absolutely fine.”

– Charlotte

For Charlotte’s family, it felt like they were drowning. Unsure of what to do or how to get help.

Until they visited Children’s Hospital.

Please see this video of Charlotte which was made 6 years ago …

At the Emergency Department, Charlotte spoke to a psychologist who helped her move through the panic attack she was having. She then got an appointment to speak with a psychiatrist. That appointment became the rescue boat in the distance. Charlotte and her family had that first glimmer of hope.

They knew they were no longer alone.

“I know how other parents must feel. How terrified they feel, and yet how much of a relief it is to hear a health professional say to you,
‘It’s going to be ok. We have a plan for this.’”

– Charlotte’s Mom, Leslie

Charlotte’s time with dedicated professionals at CAMHP included leading-edge care for her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, from exposure therapy, breathing exercises and visualizations to creative outlets like art therapy. The dedicated professionals at Children’s Hospital worked with Charlotte to help her develop coping methods that were right for her. To this day her “safe space” visualizations remain a favourite.

With the help of the CAMHP, Charlotte developed the skills she needed to make her dreams come true, and in Fall of 2021, she headed off into a brand-new adventure as a university student in fashion design!

Today, Charlotte’s creativity shines! It’s not hidden behind her worries and fears.

As a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, CAMHP has experienced a significant increase in the number of youths requiring assessment and treatment and also an increase in acuity. Guidelines for maximum acceptable wait times for children’s mental health services include recommendations for patients with very high clinical urgency to be seen within two weeks, high urgency cases to be seen in just over a month, and moderate urgency cases to be seen in just under 3.5 months.

Data demonstrates that the waitlist for youth requiring outpatient care in our catchment area has increased to approximately 24 to 36 months- a four-fold increase from 2019.

Get Support to Kids Who Need It

By supporting the GET Care clinic for our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Program, Bell can ensure more kids like Charlotte, especially those suffering with anxiety, get timely access to comprehensive care.

When panic and mental illness began to consume all of Charlotte’s time, Children’s was there to help her not simply manage her mental illness, but thrive with it. Bell can make it possible for us to be a source of hope and relief for more kids in crisis.

Thank you for your kind consideration of our request.

If Bell chooses to approve our application, we would be pleased to work with you to develop a meaningful plan for recognizing and celebrating your support.

For more information, please contact:

Penny Harman

Senior Philanthropy Officer

Children’s Health Foundation

548-689-9251

pharman@childhealth.ca

Supplementary Information for the Bell Let's Talk Community Fund 2022

Children’s Hospital is here to help kids be kids through compassionate and evidence-based treatment.

One of those patients was Charlotte...

Get Support to Kids Who Need It

For more information, please contact:

You can make a difference.