If you are concerned about your child’s mental health, a good first step is to meet with your family doctor to talk about any concerns you have. They can then provide a referral to a pediatrician or psychiatrist if they feel it's necessary.
You can also go to an intake clinic offered by Child and Youth Mental Health (CYMH) teams. These walk-in clinics are for ages 18 and younger. They are located in around 100 communities in BC. See the list of intake clinics and their hours.
Check to see if there is a Foundry Centre in your community (for ages 12-24).
Both of these services are free to families in BC. Just bring your child’s BC Services Card/CareCard with you.
After you are assessed by a doctor or a CYMH team, you may be referred to:
- a more specialized mental health or substance use program or service (e.g. a psychiatrist)
- a service provided by the BC health authority you live in
Unsure which health authority your community is in?
Check this map with website links to health authorities:
- Vancouver Coastal Health (Vancouver, Richmond, North Shore, Sea to Sky, Sunshine Coast, Central Coast)
- Fraser Health (Burnaby, Hope, White Rock, etc.)
- Island Health (Victoria, Nanaimo, Port Hardy, etc.)
- Northern Health (Prince George, Terrace, etc.)
- Interior Health (Kelowna, Kamloops, Williams Lake, etc.)
You can also contact us at the Kelty Centre for help finding services.
