CMHA Kelowna

Young people will be supported through a stepped care model at Foundry Kelowna, thanks to a grant from the Telus Thompson Okanagan Community Board.

Foundry Kelowna will open in September, transforming how young people and their families access the resources and support they need. The new centre will be an integrated youth and family clinic that unites partner organizations to provide coordinated services addressing the primary care, mental health, substance use, counselling and social service needs of youth 12 – 24 and their families.

One in five young Canadians, from all walks of life, experience mental health and/or substance use issues. Of this group, only 25% of youth will receive the services they need to live their best life. This means, of the more than 30,000 youth in the Central Okanagan, about 6,000 have a mental health or substance use problem and 4,500 are not getting the care they need.

“Matching the level of service to the level of need not only enables us to use resources in the most efficient and effective way but it also means we will be able to reach young people where they are at, ensuring they get the right help at the right time,” says Mike Gawliuk, director of Service Delivery and Program Innovation at CMHA Kelowna.

Foundry Kelowna will support young peoples’ well-being by intervening early so youth can find the help they need, when they need it.