Day Treatment Programming

The Day Treatment offers academic programming to 40 children and youth, grades 6 to 12.

The Day Treatment Program offers academic and therapeutic programming to 36 children and youth in 5 classrooms. Two of these classrooms are for students in grades 6-8, and are located at St. Stephen Catholic Elementary, and three of the classrooms are for students in grades 9-12 and are located at Western Technical Commercial School.

The youth who attend The George Hull Centre Day Treatment Program are clients of Libby’s Place, the Intensive In-Home Service, or the Community Clinic. Referrals to the Day Treatment Program are received and managed by Help Ahead.

Help Ahead is a free referral phone service to help connect infants, children, youth up to 18 years old and their families to mental health and addiction services in their community. Their goal is to help those in need to find and get mental health help as efficiently and quickly as possible. The Help Ahead telephone number is: 1-866-585-6486.

Attendees

The youth who attend the School Program exhibit acute or chronic behavioural, emotional, or learning difficulties. Children and youth are typically introduced into the program when traditional schools are unable to meet their specific and unique needs. 

Purpose

The purpose of the Day Treatment Program is academic achievement, and the development and improvement of cognitive, social, and communication skills. Often, with their mental health problems under control, credits on their report cards, and better communication at home, many students return to regular schools or to alternative programs with the strength and skills required for long term success. 

Providers

The School Program is provided in partnership with the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board.  

Class

School Program classes are composed of only eight students at the secondary level, and six students at the elementary level, providing a high level of individual attention for each student. Each classroom is staffed by a special education teacher, and one or two child and youth workers.

Program

The curriculum is credit based at the secondary level, and delivered within Ministry of Education guidelines at both the secondary and the elementary levels.  Therapeutic and educational groups are integrated into the curriculum.  All of the students, and their parents/caregivers and often other family members, engage in family therapy with a clinician from the Centre. Family therapy helps families explore and understand any challenges they may be experiencing, and often provides strategies to improve the family dynamics and mental health challenges that brought them to the George Hull Centre. Teachers and Child and Youth Workers also communicate closely with parents/caregivers in order to ensure the best possible experience for their children at the program.

Teachers and staff work closely with community schools upon a student’s admission and prior to discharge in order to facilitate a smooth transition and integration back into the community.