Near North District School Board

Mental Health Services Support Team

Mental Health Support Services

Mental health banner

How to access services

All our educators are trained in early identification of noticing any student wellness challenges and may bring this to the attention of the school leadership team. A member of the team, usually the resource teacher (DLRT), will reach out to you to explain the area of concern and ask for your consent to refer your child to one of our services. They will then put the referral into the mental health professional attached to your school. The mental health professional will contact you to explain their service, answer any questions you may have, and review our consent form.
*Please note, students over the age of 12 can consent for service without parental consent as per the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 23(1). In these situations, the mental health professional will review with the student at the earliest opportunity the benefits of involving caregivers.

SECONDARY AND INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS (GRADE 7 TO 12)

The main way to access service for our older students is through our walk-in counselling service offered in all high schools. The student will sign a consent for service during that first visit. School staff may direct a student to counselling services when challenges with student well-being are noticed. Students can request to see a counsellor and will be directed accordingly. Students can also access services by emailing the CDC directly or by completing this form:

Self Referral

If you have concerns for your child that have not been identified by the school team, you may refer directly to our services by contacting your child’s teacher or the principal. If you would prefer, you may also contact the intake team directly outlining your request for service:

Caregiver Referral

Please note that these services are not designed to be a crisis service and we do not operate on the weekends and beyond the school day. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health or substance use emergency, call 911 or go to your emergency department at your local hospital.

If you are not sure if it is an emergency, or just need to talk through the situation, consider reaching out to:

  • Hands’ Child and Youth Mental Health Crisis Line, for children and youth under 18 and their families, 1-844-287-9072
  • For youth 16 years and older, the Mobile Crisis North Bay City Police and North Bay Regional Health Centre are operating regular hours Monday-Friday 8-6, available through the non-emergency line of the police service 705-497-5555.
  • Children and teens can speak with a counsellor 24/7 by calling Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or texting CONNECT to 686868.
  • CMHA Crisis Intervention:
    • Huntsville – (705) 789-8891
    • Parry Sound – (705) 746-4264 or 1-866-829-7049
    • Sundridge – (705) 384-5392 or 1-866-829-7050
    • Anyone in the general public experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis after the usual office hours please call 1-888-893-8333.
  • Connex Ontario is a central database for services available at ca or by telephone 1-866-531-2600.

If it is not a crisis, children and youth under 18 and their caregivers can access a free single session (phone, chat, or virtual) with a child and family therapist at: https://onestoptalk.ca/contactpage/

The Student Well-Being and Mental Health Team is a dedicated group of professionals that are available in schools to respond to the well-being and mental health needs of students. The focus of their work is on symptoms that are impacting on the student’s social, emotional, and academic success at school.
They work collaboratively with others within the student’s circle of care to facilitate student well-being, partnering with caregivers, school staff, and community agencies. They provide confidential face-to-face counselling and virtual care.
All our counsellors are trained in screening for suicide risk and are well versed in pathways to additional care when required.
This team also provides mental health awareness training and engages in mental health promotion activities to help reduce the stigma of mental health and to promote resiliency and protective factors in our students.
If you have any questions or concerns about this service, contact our Mental Health Lead, Lana St-Louis MSW, RSW at lana.stlouis@nearnorthschools.ca

Mental Health Resources

Child Development Counsellors

Child Development Counsellor (CDC) work is anchored in a framework that focuses on life space intervention: engaging and supporting students in the moment and in the space where the lives of young people unfold (such as the school environment) to facilitate and support growth and development.

Elementary CDCs provide in-school supports teaching social emotional skills using evidence-based programs to support student’s social, emotional, and mental well-being at school and throughout their lives. This programming occurs in the classroom, small group, and individual setting. The focus is on building skills in emotional regulation, coping and stress management, problem solving, and relationships.

Students at our intermediate and secondary schools can access walk-in counselling provided by the CDC based at their school. The CDC provides individual and group intervention focused on teaching skills to support social, emotional, and mental well-being at school. They frequently provide emotional first aid on the spot, supporting the student to utilize the skills taught so that they are able to engage in their day at school.

Brief Services and Intake Team Contact

This team provides small group programming and brief individual counselling services to students ages 12 and up, focusing on teaching problem solving, stress and mood management, developing a positive mind set, and communication skills. In addition to this role, they screen and assign referrals made in the client data management system, following up with parent and student requests for service to determine the most appropriate service pathway.

Mental Health and Addiction Nurses

The Mental Health and Addiction Nurses are employed by Ontario Health atHome and provide early intervention, psycho-educational support, and therapeutic strategies that address specific mental health and addiction needs for students. Some of their services include helping students who have recently been to the hospital, require medication follow-up, or who have concurrent medical and mental health diagnoses.

Mental Health Clinician

Our Mental Health Clinicians are regulated mental health professionals who are registered with either the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) or the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). They provide individual counselling, case management, psychotherapy, small group programming, and occasional classroom work.
The Mental Health Clinician team can support families, parents, and caregivers in accessing available community resources and services as well as providing parent education, support, and coaching in child management in relation to their success at school. Their work is rooted in bringing positive change in student thinking, feeling, behaviour, and social functioning through the use of evidence-informed treatment modalities.
MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIAN – INDIGENOUS FOCUS:
The Indigenous Focused Mental Health Clinician specializes in offering culturally centered mental health support, providing tailored services that honour Indigenous traditions and respect the specific needs of self-identified Indigenous students and families. 

Attendance Counsellors

Attendance Counsellors work with mandatory school age students and their families to address barriers that contribute to chronic absenteeism through counselling and community collaboration.

Biindigen

Mii gwi Anishinabek wewena nkenmaaminak dependajig maa kiing.
"We acknowledge in a good way, the original people of the land here"
We value the cultures, histories and relationships with the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (North America)

Connect With Us

Near North District School Board
963 Airport Road, P.O. Box 3110, North Bay, ON P1B 8H1
[P] 705-472-8170   [TF] 1-800-278-4922   [F] 705-472-9927