Prior to the pandemic, the newly opened Kenora Youth Wellness Hub had put in place a robust suite of in-person services which included primary care, sexual health, mental health, substance use, educational and employment supports, cultural and recreational programming, and service navigation support. Social distancing requirements and group size limitations meant that the hub had to close its’ doors and find creative ways to support the youth in this critical time.
Shifting to virtual services was a natural alternative; however, responding to the array of needs of youth in the community while simultaneously building awareness of the available service meant implementing a multi-pronged approach that included strategies for outreach and engagement, and facilitating access to technology. See below some of the creative ways the Youth Wellness Hub adapted to the changing circumstances.
To see more examples of the ways in which mental health and addiction service providers in Northern Ontario have redesigned their services and formed new partnerships to adapt to the shifting landscape of COVID-19, please visit our Innovations page on EENet here.