Birchlands Live-in Treatment

The Birchlands Step-Up Step-Down Live-In Treatment program is a therapeutic service for youth from 12 years of age up to their 18th birthday who are experiencing significant mental health, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Utilizing a family-based treatment model and a supportive school environment with therapeutic and skills building activities, this program helps to foster growth, healthy family relationships and achieve treatment goals.

A brief stay of approximately 8-12 weeks will support with stabilization, dialectical behaviour skill building and transition, allowing for a planned return to their home environment and community

Location and Hours

The program operates 24 hours a day, Monday to Friday out of Starling's Children’s Mental Health Centre at 285 Benjamin Road in Waterloo. Crisis support is available to youth and families in the Birchlands program by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Birchlands cottage is a home-like environment where youth participate in treatment and skills building groups, outings, recreational activities and chores.

Our Approach

Using a client-focused, strengths-based approach, we provide:
 

• Individual, family and group counselling based on treatment goals
• Individualized school program and the opportunity to attain credits
• Skills teaching and coaching of Dialectical Behaviour Informed Therapy (DBT-I) strategies (life skills, emotion management, positive peer interactions and self-esteem)
• Health education and assessment
• Indoor and outdoor recreation, aquatic programming and community outings
• Home and community reintegration support
• Crisis support
• Health consultations, teaching and support
• Assessments, as required

Upon returning to their home environment, program staff will continue to offer support services to facilitate a successful transition and strengthen connections to community supports. Collaboration is a key component of the program, actively engaging families, caregivers, and community resources. 

Youth can Step-Up from outpatient or community-based services to prevent a hospital stay or Step-Down from various intensive services, including hospitals or secure treatment, for additional stabilization and transition support

Our Treatment Team

Each youth and family are assigned a Primary Worker and Clinical lead who work collaboratively to develop individual treatment goals. Our multidisciplinary team then supports the youth and family in achieving these goals in collaboration with the youth, family and community partners, if required.

The program is supported by an interdisciplinary team including Teachers, Child and Youth Counsellors, Intensive Family Support Worker, Clinician, Psychologist, Nurse Therapist, Music Therapist, Recreation Coordinator, Program Supervisor, Clinical Supervisor, Program Manager and Substance Use Counsellor.