ROOTED
IN VOICE.
RISING WITH PURPOSE.
IN VOICE.
RISING WITH PURPOSE.
Children's Mental Health Ontario
2024–2025 Impact Report
View our Impact 2024–2025 Impact Report
Foreword
At Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO), we have always believed that transformation begins with listening and engaging. This means not just hearing, but truly centering and amplifying the voices of youth, families, service providers, and communities across this province.
In 2024–2025, that belief continued as the foundation of our work. In 2024, CMHO launched a new Strategic Plan to guide our organization over three years. Its creation put engagement at the forefront with an extensive outreach process and an equity-informed approach that included surveys, interviews, and focus groups with youth, families, CMHO members, and partners.
The Strategic Plan embodies three core goals:
Goal #1: Champion a system that centers the needs of infants, children, youth, and families
Goal #2: Collaborate to improve access, quality, and outcomes
Goal #3: Prioritize equity and social justice across child and youth mental health and addictions
This year’s impact report tells a powerful story behind achieving these goals: of youth influencing policy agendas, of parents and caregivers turning lived experiences into community support, of equity becoming the blueprint rather than the footnote, and of strategic advocacy making its mark on government priorities.
Together, it reflects the bold, collective work of a sector that works ambitiously and collaboratively to challenge the status quo. It reflects the tireless advocacy and support of our community-based member organizations responding to the needs of infants, children, youth, families, and caregivers across Ontario. It reflects a sector rising with urgency, clarity, and purpose.
From launching Ontario’s first-ever sector Provincial Health Equity Strategy, to strengthening clinical capacity through the Provincial Training Initiative, to securing critical funding gains for our sector to meet ongoing demand for mental health services through sustained advocacy, CMHO and its members led with courage and sustained commitment. And through it all, we never lost sight of who this work is for: the infants, children, youth, and families who deserve a system that sees them, hears them, and meets their needs.
As you read this report, we hope you feel the momentum, not just in numbers, but in the stories of people working every day to create a better, more equitable mental health system in Ontario. It is their resilience, creativity, and determination that drive us forward.
Ontario is a beautiful, large, and diverse province that is home to a multitude of geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. It is a province where young people deserve to not only survive but thrive within their respective identities, backgrounds, and contexts.
We are deeply proud of what we have accomplished together this year, and we are even more inspired by what lies ahead.
With gratitude,
Tatum Wilson
CEO of Children's Mental Health Ontario
Melanie Barwick
Board Chair at Children's Mental Health Ontario
Strategic Goal #1 Champion a System That Centers the Needs of Infants, Children, Youth, and Families
WHEN YOUTH LEAD THE SYSTEM LISTENS
The New Mentality
“The sense of unity and connection. Everyone is equal, and that is truly beautiful. I was able to see people speak their truths without fear of judgment, and it created such an important environment for fostering change.”
Youth, Disable the Label, 2024
This year, youth helped shape the agenda.
Across Ontario, The New Mentality (TNM) empowered more than 1,500 youth to help inform the future of mental health. From local grassroots action to provincial influence, young leaders used their voices to push boundaries, challenge systems, and reimagine care.
The provincial Youth Action Committee (YAC) delivered a powerful keynote to over 600 attendees at the CMHO Conference, calling on leaders to center equity and inclusion in practice. They also met with the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions to share policy recommendations focused on improving services for Black, Indigenous, racialized, and 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, elevating the voices and lived expertise of equity-deserving youth across Ontario.
Through TNM’s Affinity Groups, The Gifts of our People and Rainbow Connections, Black, Indigenous, racialized, and 2SLGBTQIA+ youth created space for healing, connection, and joy. Both groups led powerful workshops at CMHO’s annual conference, highlighting best practices for inclusive programming and the importance of uplifting youth voices.
At the annual Disable the Label (DTL) retreat, youth and adult allies rekindled what it means to lead with vulnerability and bravery. Over 50 youth and adult allies came together in a space dedicated to emphasizing co-creation and bravery.
With the launch of the new TNM Buzz newsletter and the growth in leadership from new co-chairs and facilitators, TNM is no longer just a network. It's a movement.
Across Ontario, The New Mentality (TNM) empowered more than 1,500 youth to help inform the future of mental health. From local grassroots action to provincial influence, young leaders used their voices to push boundaries, challenge systems, and reimagine care.
The provincial Youth Action Committee (YAC) delivered a powerful keynote to over 600 attendees at the CMHO Conference, calling on leaders to center equity and inclusion in practice. They also met with the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions to share policy recommendations focused on improving services for Black, Indigenous, racialized, and 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, elevating the voices and lived expertise of equity-deserving youth across Ontario.
Through TNM’s Affinity Groups, The Gifts of our People and Rainbow Connections, Black, Indigenous, racialized, and 2SLGBTQIA+ youth created space for healing, connection, and joy. Both groups led powerful workshops at CMHO’s annual conference, highlighting best practices for inclusive programming and the importance of uplifting youth voices.
At the annual Disable the Label (DTL) retreat, youth and adult allies rekindled what it means to lead with vulnerability and bravery. Over 50 youth and adult allies came together in a space dedicated to emphasizing co-creation and bravery.
With the launch of the new TNM Buzz newsletter and the growth in leadership from new co-chairs and facilitators, TNM is no longer just a network. It's a movement.
By the Numbers
- 1,500+
Youth engaged across Ontario - 18
Local TNM Groups - 10
YAC meetings, including a policy consultation with the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions - 50
Participants at Disable the Label Retreat
Looking Ahead
-
Launch of a new youth-led policy paper -
Expanded affinity programming and leadership pathways -
Enhanced supports for transitional-aged youth
Strategic Goal #1 Champion a System That Centers the Needs of Infants, Children, Youth, and Families
STRENGTHENING ONTARIO’S NETWORK OF CARE
Parents for Children's Mental Health
“I feel like I am playing mental-load whack-a-mole some days, and I can only juggle so much. I feel so overwhelmed. It's incredible to have people to talk to once a month who 'get it' without judging.”
Parent, PCMH, 2024
No one understands the journey like someone who’s walked it. That’s where our parents and caregivers come in.
In 2024–25, Parents for Children's Mental Health (PCMH) continued to offer a helping hand to families navigating their child’s mental health challenges, marking its 30th anniversary of supporting Ontario’s caregivers and families—peer to peer and heart to heart.
Over 1,100 families across Ontario found connection, support, and empowerment through one-to-one check-ins and group peer support, while 11 new volunteers were welcomed to the PCMH team to enhance reach and capacity across the province.
This year also marked a turning point: Six new chapters launched, including groups tailored to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), grandparent caregivers, and school advocacy. Through a province-wide family survey and support from the Ministry of Education, PCMH co-created six new bilingual resources on in-demand topics, including bullying, anxiety, aggression, gender and sexuality, sibling support, and body image, filling long-standing gaps in family education and support.
A new Family Partnership Council was also created, reflecting all regions across Ontario, with a focus on developing resources to support caregivers. Meanwhile, 11 webinars were hosted for parents and caregivers on topics that matter to them, including sibling support, substance use, self-compassion, eating disorders, and supporting grandparent caregivers.
The virtual Family Care Centre doubled its reach, hitting over 185,000 page views, and proving that when families have tools, information, and community, they can become powerful advocates for their children and for themselves. Meanwhile, 32 parent and caregiver volunteers came together at the annual PCMH Symposium to discuss how peer support can drive connection and collaboration across communities.
Above all, during a year marked by new resources, expanded chapters, and deeper partnerships, PCMH remained a lifeline for parents and caregivers facing some of the most complex and difficult moments in their families’ journeys. As the network proudly marked 30 years of unwavering support, it also looked ahead, with renewed energy and purpose, toward a future of continued growth, innovation, and impact.
In 2024–25, Parents for Children's Mental Health (PCMH) continued to offer a helping hand to families navigating their child’s mental health challenges, marking its 30th anniversary of supporting Ontario’s caregivers and families—peer to peer and heart to heart.
Over 1,100 families across Ontario found connection, support, and empowerment through one-to-one check-ins and group peer support, while 11 new volunteers were welcomed to the PCMH team to enhance reach and capacity across the province.
This year also marked a turning point: Six new chapters launched, including groups tailored to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), grandparent caregivers, and school advocacy. Through a province-wide family survey and support from the Ministry of Education, PCMH co-created six new bilingual resources on in-demand topics, including bullying, anxiety, aggression, gender and sexuality, sibling support, and body image, filling long-standing gaps in family education and support.
A new Family Partnership Council was also created, reflecting all regions across Ontario, with a focus on developing resources to support caregivers. Meanwhile, 11 webinars were hosted for parents and caregivers on topics that matter to them, including sibling support, substance use, self-compassion, eating disorders, and supporting grandparent caregivers.
The virtual Family Care Centre doubled its reach, hitting over 185,000 page views, and proving that when families have tools, information, and community, they can become powerful advocates for their children and for themselves. Meanwhile, 32 parent and caregiver volunteers came together at the annual PCMH Symposium to discuss how peer support can drive connection and collaboration across communities.
Above all, during a year marked by new resources, expanded chapters, and deeper partnerships, PCMH remained a lifeline for parents and caregivers facing some of the most complex and difficult moments in their families’ journeys. As the network proudly marked 30 years of unwavering support, it also looked ahead, with renewed energy and purpose, toward a future of continued growth, innovation, and impact.
Newly Released Resources from PCMH
By the Numbers
- 1,100+
Families supported - 2,100+
Volunteer hours and 34 volunteers across chapters - 6
New family resources in French and English - 75,000+
New page views on the virtual Family Care Centre
Looking Ahead
-
Deepen collaboration with school boards - Reintroduce PCMH to CMHO members as a system-strengthening ally
-
Expand culturally relevant supports through new partnerships
Strategic Goal #2 Collaborate to Improve Access, Quality, and Outcomes
BUILDING CAPACITY
WHERE IT COUNTS
WHERE IT COUNTS
The Provincial Training Initiative
"PTI has equipped our frontline teams with impactful approaches that truly elevate how we show up for kids.”
Krista Robinson, Lead Agency Supervisor for
Vanier Children’s Mental Wellness
Providing the best care requires the best tools and resources. CMHO’s Provincial Training Initiative (PTI) is changing that, one clinician, one training, and one modality at a time.
PTI was created as an educational initiative to increase the availability of high-quality, evidence-based clinical treatment for children and youth with complex and intensive mental health needs, and its impact has already taken root. In 2024–25, more than 1,600 community mental health professionals deepened their expertise in four evidence-based modalities: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT), Attachment Regulation and Competency (ARC), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Circle of Security Parenting (CoSP).
Ten regional training networks, comprised of all Lead Agencies and their Core Service Provider partners, were supported to deliver and sustain quality care, helping ensure that no matter where a child lives, they have access to treatment that works. Meanwhile, two province-wide training sessions in the ARC framework—a trauma-informed intervention designed for adolescents with complex trauma—were hosted in French, expanding the reach of best-practice modalities into more communities.
Behind the scenes, a new digital registration platform and expanded staffing helped streamline operations, laying the groundwork for a sustainable, province-wide training infrastructure.
By providing standardized training to expand high-quality clinical capacity across the province, PTI played a vital role in improving both the quality of care and the outcomes families depend on, while ensuring service providers have the skills they need to effectively do their jobs.
Together, PTI has helped move the system closer to a future where all young people, especially those with complex mental health needs, can access critical evidence-based treatment.
PTI was created as an educational initiative to increase the availability of high-quality, evidence-based clinical treatment for children and youth with complex and intensive mental health needs, and its impact has already taken root. In 2024–25, more than 1,600 community mental health professionals deepened their expertise in four evidence-based modalities: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT), Attachment Regulation and Competency (ARC), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Circle of Security Parenting (CoSP).
Ten regional training networks, comprised of all Lead Agencies and their Core Service Provider partners, were supported to deliver and sustain quality care, helping ensure that no matter where a child lives, they have access to treatment that works. Meanwhile, two province-wide training sessions in the ARC framework—a trauma-informed intervention designed for adolescents with complex trauma—were hosted in French, expanding the reach of best-practice modalities into more communities.
Behind the scenes, a new digital registration platform and expanded staffing helped streamline operations, laying the groundwork for a sustainable, province-wide training infrastructure.
By providing standardized training to expand high-quality clinical capacity across the province, PTI played a vital role in improving both the quality of care and the outcomes families depend on, while ensuring service providers have the skills they need to effectively do their jobs.
Together, PTI has helped move the system closer to a future where all young people, especially those with complex mental health needs, can access critical evidence-based treatment.
By the Numbers
- 1,641
Staff trained - 10
Regional network participated - 354
Providers trained in TF-CBT - 428
Providers trained in ARC - 477
Providers trained in COSP - 355
Providers trained in DBT
Looking Ahead
-
Evaluation of PTI outcomes and impact -
Strengthened network collaboration and sustainability planning -
New advanced certifications
Strategic Goal #2 Collaborate to Improve Access, Quality, and Outcomes
SUPPORTING
MEMBERS FOR SYSTEM CHANGE
MEMBERS FOR SYSTEM CHANGE
Government Engagement
"CMHO membership has provided our organization with valuable advocacy and sector-wide insights that allow us to continually evolve and strengthen our services and partnerships. We are grateful to CEO Tatum Wilson and his team for their tireless advocacy efforts on behalf of Ontario's community child and youth mental health system."
Kirsten Dougherty, CEO, Reach Out Centre for Kids
Progress for children, youth, and families starts with a strong and united membership.
Through CMHO’s 2025 Pre-Budget Submission and participation in the For Us, For You campaign with our partner community health member associations, we made it clear: wage equity directly corresponds with better outcomes.
The 2025 Pre-Budget Submission called for $142M over three years to stabilize and grow the sector. This included a focus on health human resources (HHR), data infrastructure, and equity-driven investments. CMHO and its members engaged extensively with government officials before the release of the 2025 Ontario budget, which helped secure a 4% base funding increase, with continued advocacy underway.
During the 2025 Ontario election, we continued to emphasize these messages and equipped members with a media toolkit to support their local advocacy efforts.
This year, we also continued our work to advocate on behalf of our members who receive their primary funding from the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services. CMHO will continue to advocate for your Infant and Young Parent service providers and those supporting youth in the justice system, as they both play a critical role in the system of care for children and youth in the province.
Together, these efforts reflect the power of a connected and engaged membership. By standing alongside our members, listening to their priorities, and championing their voices at every level, CMHO continues to strengthen our collective capacity to shape a more equitable, coordinated, and responsive child and youth mental health system.
Through CMHO’s 2025 Pre-Budget Submission and participation in the For Us, For You campaign with our partner community health member associations, we made it clear: wage equity directly corresponds with better outcomes.
The 2025 Pre-Budget Submission called for $142M over three years to stabilize and grow the sector. This included a focus on health human resources (HHR), data infrastructure, and equity-driven investments. CMHO and its members engaged extensively with government officials before the release of the 2025 Ontario budget, which helped secure a 4% base funding increase, with continued advocacy underway.
During the 2025 Ontario election, we continued to emphasize these messages and equipped members with a media toolkit to support their local advocacy efforts.
This year, we also continued our work to advocate on behalf of our members who receive their primary funding from the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services. CMHO will continue to advocate for your Infant and Young Parent service providers and those supporting youth in the justice system, as they both play a critical role in the system of care for children and youth in the province.
Together, these efforts reflect the power of a connected and engaged membership. By standing alongside our members, listening to their priorities, and championing their voices at every level, CMHO continues to strengthen our collective capacity to shape a more equitable, coordinated, and responsive child and youth mental health system.
2025 Pre-Budget Submission Asks
Moving from Stabilizing to Sustainability and System Building
-
STABILIZERetaining and recruiting the specialized mental health professionals and inter-professional care teams at community-based child and youth mental health centers is critical to sustaining service delivery, providing continuity of care, and building a strong foundation for the sector. -
SUSTAINThe child and youth mental health sector is eager to partner with the government to streamline processes and strengthen sector capacity to ensure data is consistently available, collected, and evaluated across child and youth mental health. -
SYSTEM BUILDAddressing service gaps and ensuring timely access to high-quality mental health services for children and youth across Ontario is crucial for system improvement. Targeted investments are needed to address gaps in care.
Project Spotlights
How CMHO is Working in Collaboration to Improve Provincial Systems in Child and Youth Mental Health
By the Numbers
- 6
Leadership Exchanges and webinars hosted - 7
Government roundtable consultations - 11
Sector and system partner working groups, advisories, and committees
Looking Ahead
-
Launch a formal member engagement plan, including a refreshed Annual Member Survey and expanded outreach opportunities -
Develop a governance engagement strategy to strengthen relationships with Member Boards
Strategic Goal #2 Collaborate to Improve Access, Quality, and Outcomes
CONVENING SECTOR PARTNERS TOGETHER FOR TOMORROW
2024 CMHO Conference
"I’m leaving the conference with my heart feeling full and like there’s a community of folks who want what’s best for the children.”
2024 Conference Attendee
CMHO’s 2024 Conference brought together over 600 members, youth, families, caregivers and other stakeholders all committed to sharing, learning, and pushing the needle forward towards a more inclusive, accessible and effective child and youth mental health sector.
By the numbers
Looking Ahead
From April 20-21, 2026, CMHO’s conference will return with the theme Interwoven: Co-creating the Future of Child and Youth Mental Health, inviting all sectors, providers and communities to step boldly into the unknown together to co-create what comes next with all voices at the table.
By the numbers
- 600+ leaders in child and youth mental health
- 36 workshops
- 5 keynote addresses
- 20 sponsors and exhibitors
Looking Ahead
From April 20-21, 2026, CMHO’s conference will return with the theme Interwoven: Co-creating the Future of Child and Youth Mental Health, inviting all sectors, providers and communities to step boldly into the unknown together to co-create what comes next with all voices at the table.
Strategic Goal #2 Collaborate to Improve Access, Quality, and Outcomes
COLLECTIVE VOICE
SHARED VISION
SHARED VISION
Communications & Advocacy
"In storytelling, in protest, in leadership—when we center joy, we remind ourselves and others that our experiences are not solely defined by pain. Joy can uplift, sustain, and propel us forward. It is a vital tool for mental well-being."
Tatum Wilson, CEO, CMHO
2024–25 was a year of bold storytelling and strategic advocacy.
We continued to work closely with sector partners to advocate for a Provincial Alcohol Strategy and on campaigns like For Us, For You, highlighting the significant wage gaps in the community health sector.
Major communications efforts like those connected to Children’s Mental Health Week, Black Mental Health Week, Pride Month, and Indigenous History Month spotlighted equity and lived experience through member and youth-driven storytelling, while toolkits and media engagement empowered local advocacy.
Our efforts aligned directly with CMHO’s strategic goals by centering youth and family voices, bridging sectors, and championing support for sustained, equitable investment in community mental health services.
Our toolkits supported over 98 media placements across Ontario, generating more than 2 million impressions and shaping public conversations about child and youth mental health. CMHO leaders were featured in national and regional media, podcasts (e.g., Children’s Healthcare Canada Spark), and high-profile sector gatherings like the Bell Let’s Talk Research Canada Event.
From ministerial briefings to community campaigns, our work connected the dots across advocacy, equity, and care. Together, these efforts transformed individual voices into collective momentum, shifting narratives, influencing policy, and deepening public understanding of what Ontario’s young people need to thrive. As we look ahead, CMHO remains committed to amplifying lived experience, equipping our members to lead local advocacy, and ensuring that communications and strategic relations continue to drive meaningful, equity-focused system change.
We continued to work closely with sector partners to advocate for a Provincial Alcohol Strategy and on campaigns like For Us, For You, highlighting the significant wage gaps in the community health sector.
Major communications efforts like those connected to Children’s Mental Health Week, Black Mental Health Week, Pride Month, and Indigenous History Month spotlighted equity and lived experience through member and youth-driven storytelling, while toolkits and media engagement empowered local advocacy.
Our efforts aligned directly with CMHO’s strategic goals by centering youth and family voices, bridging sectors, and championing support for sustained, equitable investment in community mental health services.
Our toolkits supported over 98 media placements across Ontario, generating more than 2 million impressions and shaping public conversations about child and youth mental health. CMHO leaders were featured in national and regional media, podcasts (e.g., Children’s Healthcare Canada Spark), and high-profile sector gatherings like the Bell Let’s Talk Research Canada Event.
From ministerial briefings to community campaigns, our work connected the dots across advocacy, equity, and care. Together, these efforts transformed individual voices into collective momentum, shifting narratives, influencing policy, and deepening public understanding of what Ontario’s young people need to thrive. As we look ahead, CMHO remains committed to amplifying lived experience, equipping our members to lead local advocacy, and ensuring that communications and strategic relations continue to drive meaningful, equity-focused system change.
THE STORIES
that Shape our Advocacy
that Shape our Advocacy
Talk about it. Advocate for change. Don’t assume the issues are too big to solve. Every action—no matter how small—moves us toward better outcomes for Black children, infants and youth in Ontario.
I wish it was something I could share with everyone, because honestly, I don’t think words will ever fully explain just how special this environment is.
Unless you have experience, you don't know the questions to ask. Peer supporters have been there, done it, they get it, and they know how to have these conversations.
By the Numbers
- 2 million+
Impressions in the media - 98
Media placements and opportunities for CMHO and its members - 5
Member toolkits to support local advocacy
Looking Ahead
-
Advocate, alongside CMHO’s members and partners, to ensure child and youth mental health remains at the forefront of policymakers’ priorities in Ontario -
Deepen youth and family leadership in storytelling -
Continue to support members, youth, families and caregivers as media and policy changemakers
Strategic Goal #3 Prioritize Equity & Social Justice
EQUITY AS A
BLUEPRINT
BLUEPRINT
Policy & System Transformation
“Service providers want to get to the root of the mental health issue. What they don’t understand is that roots are tangled, woven within and between each other.”
Youth, 19, Kapuskasing
For far too long, there have been too many voices unheard in Ontario’s child and youth mental health system to truly reflect the diversity of all children, youth, and families. This year, CMHO took real steps toward changing that.
In 2024–25, CMHO launched the first-ever sector Provincial Health Equity Strategy, in partnership with the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions and the Lead Agency Consortium. This represented a landmark initiative grounded in lived expertise and co-designed with members, youth and family voice, and equity leaders across the province. The strategy outlines four bold directions to dismantle systemic barriers and integrate equity into our sector’s service system, and it is strengthened by foundational commitments to drive forward equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and anti-oppression.
Meanwhile, CMHO’s member-led Equity Community of Practice (CoP) provided a learning space to share resources and discuss topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion completing three years and 25 sessions in total. With the launch of the sector Equity Strategy, this year marked a new opportunity for the CoP, wherein reflections and recommendations from members are informing its next iteration, aligned with the provincial strategy. At the 2024 CMHO Conference, equity wasn’t just a component—it was deeply embedded across keynotes, panels, and programming.
These efforts signal a shift from intention to action, embedding equity not as a standalone initiative but as the foundation of all system transformation. As CMHO continues this journey, the voices of those historically left out—the ones our sector serves, including youth, families, and equity-deserving communities—will remain central to shaping a mental health system where every infant, child, youth, and family in Ontario can access care that truly meets their needs.
In 2024–25, CMHO launched the first-ever sector Provincial Health Equity Strategy, in partnership with the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions and the Lead Agency Consortium. This represented a landmark initiative grounded in lived expertise and co-designed with members, youth and family voice, and equity leaders across the province. The strategy outlines four bold directions to dismantle systemic barriers and integrate equity into our sector’s service system, and it is strengthened by foundational commitments to drive forward equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and anti-oppression.
Meanwhile, CMHO’s member-led Equity Community of Practice (CoP) provided a learning space to share resources and discuss topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion completing three years and 25 sessions in total. With the launch of the sector Equity Strategy, this year marked a new opportunity for the CoP, wherein reflections and recommendations from members are informing its next iteration, aligned with the provincial strategy. At the 2024 CMHO Conference, equity wasn’t just a component—it was deeply embedded across keynotes, panels, and programming.
These efforts signal a shift from intention to action, embedding equity not as a standalone initiative but as the foundation of all system transformation. As CMHO continues this journey, the voices of those historically left out—the ones our sector serves, including youth, families, and equity-deserving communities—will remain central to shaping a mental health system where every infant, child, youth, and family in Ontario can access care that truly meets their needs.
Growing Together: Advancing Health Equity in Ontario's Community Child and Youth Mental Health System
CMHO is proud to launch its first-ever Provincial Health Equity Strategy, “Growing Together: Advancing Health Equity in Ontario’s Community Child and Youth Mental Health System”—a foundational framework developed through engagement with members, youth, families, and partners across the community-based child and youth mental health sector.
Rooted in anti-racism, anti-oppression, and equity principles, this strategy outlines a shared path forward for building a more just and inclusive system—one that better reflects and serves the diversity of Ontario’s infants, children, and youth. The strategy also advances key commitments from CMHO’s new Strategic Plan and affirms that our sector is both ready and able to lead quality improvement in equity.
Rooted in anti-racism, anti-oppression, and equity principles, this strategy outlines a shared path forward for building a more just and inclusive system—one that better reflects and serves the diversity of Ontario’s infants, children, and youth. The strategy also advances key commitments from CMHO’s new Strategic Plan and affirms that our sector is both ready and able to lead quality improvement in equity.
Looking Ahead
-
Relaunch the Equity CoP to better service its members and support strategic goals -
Collaborate with provincial partners to bring the Provincial Health Equity Strategy to life -
Translate policy into action: locally, regionally, and provincially
Final Word
This year, CMHO and its members across Ontario truly embodied system transformation. Across programs, policies, and partnerships, we pushed forward with the shared belief that every infant, child, youth, and family in Ontario deserves access to high-quality, culturally relevant, timely mental health care.
And we’re not done.
Together with our members, families, youth, and government, and with deep gratitude to our funders, partners, and supporters whose ongoing commitment fuels this work, we’re laying the foundation for a future where care is equitable, responsive, and rooted in community.
And we’re not done.
Together with our members, families, youth, and government, and with deep gratitude to our funders, partners, and supporters whose ongoing commitment fuels this work, we’re laying the foundation for a future where care is equitable, responsive, and rooted in community.
Our kids deserve nothing less.
