Supporting Healthy Children, Youth and Families
Below is a listing of the 2023-24 programs and services connected to the theme Supporting Healthy Children, Youth and Families. A complete description of Saskatchewan’s Children and Youth Strategy is found in the Executive Summary.
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1. Mental Health and Addictions
| Program/Initiative | Purpose | Partners |
| Addictions Treatment for Youth in Custody Facilities | A substance abuse initiative involving an addictions worker providing assessment, treatment, and follow-up services for youth in custody. | Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| Children’s Mental Health Services | Provide services to children from birth to 11 years of age and their caregivers, who are experiencing a wide range of mental health concerns. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| Child and Youth Inpatient Addiction Treatment Beds | The province offers 33 inpatient addictions treatment beds (formerly known as residential treatment beds) – 15 are operated by a community-based organization in Saskatoon, 12 are operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority and 6 are operated in Swift Current as a joint effort. There are also currently 12 youth detox beds in the province – six in Regina (secure youth detox) and six in Saskatoon, both operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority, community-based organizations |
| Community Recovery Teams | Intensive supports for children and youth with complex mental health needs are provided through child/youth Community Recovery Teams (CRTs) in Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Regina. CRTs support youth with chronic, persistent and complex mental health issues that are often concurrent in nature and compounded by problematic substance use. These multi-disciplinary teams typically include nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, addictions counsellors and peer support workers focused on supporting individuals’ health, employment, life skills development, housing, educational or social needs. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Community Recovery Teams in Saskatoon (EGADZ), Prince Albert and Regina (Street Culture Kidz) |
| Embracing Life (EL) Initiative | This initiative is a call for action, among partners, to reduce suicide by sharing the strengths of communities and working together through health promotion, suicide prevention, intervention and post-vention. It includes a website, embracinglifesk.com, and suicide prevention app. Embracing life is currently working on 2 more resources – a peer to peer resource created this summer by young people for young people, and a Be the Spark – mobilizing community guide. Embracing Life is also working with youth on a sticker and button campaign to launch this fall on who they can talk to about mental health. |
Ministries of Government Relations, Education, Health and Justice and Attorney General, Athabasca Health Authority, Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, Health Canada( Indigenous Services Canada) , Northern Lights School Division, First Nations – Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Prince Albert Grand Council, Meadow Lake Tribal Council and Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, Thunderchild First Nation, Metis Nation, Northern Victim Services, Population Health Unit of Northern Saskatchewan, RCMP, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth, Saskatchewan Prevention Institute |
| Family Services Saskatchewan | Walk in counselling clinics are available in 31 communities across the province through Family Services Saskatchewan. Single-session, solution-focused services support the continuum of mental health and addiction service and assist individuals in developing skills to manage their symptoms/issues. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Family Services Saskatchewan |
| Front Line Partnerships | The Regina Intersectoral Partnership (TRiP) is a team comprised of the Regina Police Service, both school divisions, mental health and addictions services, Social Services, Justice/Corrections, and other community stakeholders that meet weekly to provide wraparound supports for families in Regina, particularly vulnerable families where mental health and addictions are key factors. | Regina Police Service, Regina school divisions, Saskatchewan Health Authority mental health and addictions services, Social Services, Justice/Corrections, and other community stakeholders |
| The Saskatchewan Health Authority and Ministry of Health collaborate with many community-based organizations to meet the needs of children and youth. Examples include Rainbow Youth Centre in Regina, Dorie’s House in Swift Current and Valley Hill Treatment Centre in Prince Albert, which operates youth addictions treatment centres, and BridgePoint Centre in Milden, which focuses on treating eating disorders. | Ministry of Health, SHA, community-based organizations | |
| Healthy Campus Saskatchewan (HCSK) | Community of practice that works to support post-secondary institutions with knowledge, tools, and supportive resources that relate to student mental health and wellbeing, suicide awareness/prevention, sexual violence prevention, substance use, and accessible and inclusive environments. | Ministries of Advanced Education and Health, post-secondary institutions and community organizations |
| Increased Access and Capacity to Assess and Treat Children and Youth | As part of the overall mental health system, additional funds are provided to enhance capacity and access for children and youth to mental health services. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| Integrated Youth Services Model | A one-stop shop in the community providing rapid access to quality, evidence-based integrated prevention and early intervention supports for youth to mental health and well-being. | Justice ministries, ministries of Social Services, Health and Education, community-based organizations and philanthropists |
| Mental Health Supports for Individuals with Autism | Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder often face unique challenges when it comes to having their mental health needs addressed. In partnership with the Autism Resource Centre (Regina) and Autism Services (Saskatoon), provincial funding supports each organization to hire a mental health professional to provide mental health services to those clients living with ASD. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority and community-based organizations |
| Mental Health Services in Youth Custody Facilities | Facility staff provide direct skill building and indirect role modeling to enhance behavioural self-management and emotional self-regulation which assists with youth mental health needs. They are also trained in ASIST suicide prevention skills, basic strategies for responding to mental health concerns, and trauma informed practices. | Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety |
| Suicide Prevention - Pillars for Life | The plan to improve and deliver suicide prevention programs in the province. Examples include Community Recovery Teams, Policy and Crisis Teams, maternal mental wellness through HealthLine 811 and walk-in counselling. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and a number of other partners |
| University of Regina - Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy | A psychotherapy program for students to treat a number of mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. | Ministry of Health, University of Regina |
| Youth Psychiatry | Assessment, individual, family and group therapy to youth and their families who are experiencing mental health and/or substance use/abuse issues. | Saskatchewan Health Authority |
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2. Supported Families
| Program/Initiative | Purpose | Partners |
| Child Support Service | Helps parents to ensure a fair level of support is provided for their children. The Service provides a faster and less adversarial alternative for parents to obtain a child support determination and to regularly update child support payments. There is no cost to apply, and the parties are not required to pursue adjustments through court. | Ministry of Justice and Attorney General |
| Child Nutrition Program | Provides funding to school divisions and community-based organizations to help them address child hunger, offer nutrition education and provide skill building opportunities like cooking classes. | Ministry of Education, school divisions, community-based organizations |
| Child Protection Mediation | This initiative provides mediation support to parties referred by the Ministry of Social Services, Child and Family Services, or Children’s Advocate, with issues relating to child protection and child apprehension. | Ministries of Justice and Attorney General and Social Services |
| Children and Youth Services Unit at the Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) of Saskatchewan | The PGT is authorized by provincial legislation to protect the legal, financial and property interests of children and youth in the province. | Ministry of Justice and Attorney General |
| Counsel for Children at the Public Guardian and Trustee of Saskatchewan | The program appoints a lawyer (where appropriate or where directed by the court) to represent a child or youth in matters related to The Child and Family Services Act (child protection). The lawyer provides a child or youth with information about the legal process and ensures a child or youth’s perspective is heard in the child protection proceedings. | Ministry of Justice and Attorney General |
| Counselling | Provide counselling for individuals or families by accredited professionals to assist in identifying strengths and addressing risk to successfully manage presenting issues. | Ministry of Social Services and Indigenous and community organizations |
| Elder and Knowledge Keeper Service | Elders and Knowledge Keepers provide one on one traditional teachings, counselling, cultural support and ceremonial practices for children, youth and families involved with child and family programs. | Ministry of Social Services and Indigenous organizations and community based organizations |
| Family Law Information Centre (FLC) | Provides legal information about family law and the legal system to the public at no cost. The Public can access assistance by telephone, email, or at in-person help session. The FLIC also has several self-help kits available for people who wish to represent themselves in court and a series of short videos on family law information as an alternative format for providing legal information. | Ministry of Justice and Attorney General |
| Family Literacy Hubs | Literacy programs give opportunities to learn about: the importance of language, literacy and reading; the role that family members can play in literacy development of their children; interactive literacy activities that support a child’s literacy development at home and in school; and how to access learning resources through the library or their community. | Ministry of Education, schools, libraries, communities and literacy networks |
| Family Matters: Assisting Families Through Separation and Divorce | This program provides early intervention that allows families experiencing separation and divorce access to needed information and assistance from an approved service provider to discuss immediate concerns and develop a plan to address any remaining issues. The goal of the program is to resolve family issues with less stress and anxiety, and help families make better use of available resources. | Ministry of Justice and Attorney General |
| Family Mediation Program | This program includes fee-for-service mediation, court-ordered High Conflict Family Mediation, and referrals from Family Justice Services to assist parents with custody, access and/or exchange issues. This program assists families transitioning through separation or divorce to resolve issues, including parenting time and decision making, and minimize the impact of conflict on parents and their children. This program also satisfies the Early Family Dispute Resolution requirement, per section 7-4 of the King’s Bench Act, which empowers families to resolve issues outside of court, and reduces the financial and emotional impacts of separation and divorce. | Ministry of Justice and Attorney General |
| Family Social Housing | Safe affordable and stable housing units are available to low-income families at rents based on household income. Families in greatest housing need are prioritized. | Saskatchewan Housing Corporation |
| Family Supports | Provide in-home support and education to parents whose children are at-risk of coming into care or are in care and will decrease amount of time spent in care. | Ministry of Social Services, Indigenous organizations, community-based partners |
| Intensive Direct Services | Various on-site, in-home and outreach support, intervention and education services are made available to families, children, youth and caregivers. Services included but are not limited to youth engagement services, youth mentorship, life skills programming, cultural activities, cultural camps, ceremonies, elder and/or knowledge keeper one-on-one teachings, Traditional Talking Circles, support to sexually exploited youth and support to foster families and extended family caregivers. | Ministry of Social Services, Indigenous and community-based organizations |
| Keeping Families Together | For families involved in the child welfare system who also have housing challenges, including living situations that are unsafe, unaffordable or have a negative impact on their health. It supports the participant families so they can safely care for their children in the family home. | Ministry of Social Services, Saskatchewan Housing Corporation and community partners |
| KidsFirst Regional | Offers free programming for groups of families with young children in rural communities and small cities not served by the KidsFirst Targeted program. The program also builds awareness of early childhood and parenting topics through social media, community directories and posters. | Ministry of Education, school divisions, Saskatchewan Health Authority, First Nations, libraries, community-based organizations |
| KidsFirst Targeted | KidsFirst Targeted is a voluntary program that helps families in vulnerable situations become the best parents they can be and to have the healthiest children possible. A free, voluntary, home-based early childhood development program to help families in areas that have an impact on child health/development and family wellbeing. Families agree to weekly home visits and are provided support from a team of professionals. |
Ministry of Education, school divisions, Saskatchewan Health Authority, First Nations, community-based organizations |
| Parenting After Separation and Divorce Program | The program aims to provide for the best interest of the child or children in family disputes; assist in increasing people’s understanding of the issues by providing information about the available options for resolution, legal issues, child support, and parenting; provide information that assists in promoting consensual conflict resolution methods. | Ministry of Justice and Attorney General |
| Parenting Assessments/Children’s Voices Assessments | Court ordered assessments provide independent, written information to the Court of King’s Bench and the parties, addressing issues such as decision-making responsibility and/or parenting time, or more specific issues. Children’s Voices (or Voice of the Child) Assessments provide the court and parties with information specific to the child’s perspective. | Ministry of Justice and Attorney General |
| Public Libraries | A safe place within the community where children can access a great variety of high quality, selected resources, information and tools, in all formats including digital. Programs are also available across all age groups that develop independence, cognitive and social skills, as well as a variety of literacies. There are over 300 public library branches across the province. | The Ministry of Education provides resource sharing grants to all 11 public library systems which allows any SK residents to use materials at any public library in the province |
| Public Libraries Supporting Newcomers with Multilingual Resources | Access to numerous leisure reading books in world languages. These books help newcomer children, and their families retain their heritage language. In addition to assisting with secondary language acquisition, heritage language retention also provides many social, cultural and cognitive benefits. Many public libraries also provide free services and programs to assist newcomer children and their families. | Ministry of Education provides access to materials to users of the 11 public library systems |
| Saskatchewan Housing Benefit | This program provides a monthly financial benefit to eligible renters, including families, to assist with housing affordability. | Saskatchewan Housing Corporation |
| Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) and Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability Program (SAID) | Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) supports families by meeting their household’s basic needs as we partner with them to become self-sufficient to the best of their abilities. Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability Program (SAID) provides needs-based income assistance to specifically address the unique experiences and needs of low-income families with significant and enduring disabilities. The Saskatchewan Employment Supplement (SES) assists families with lower incomes who have children. It is a monthly payment that supplements income from a job, farming, self-employment, or from child or spousal support. |
Ministry of Social Services |
| Saskatchewan Youth In Care and Custody Network (SYICCN) | Co-ordination of support and education services for children, youth aged 14 to 24 who are in or have been in care or custody from across the province. Local youth networks provide the opportunity to have focus groups and meetings with youth membership to discuss/address issues facing young people in care or custody. | Ministry of Social Services |
| Service to Teen Parents | Support, education and services to pregnant young women, young and new parents, and their children. | Ministry of Social Services, Indigenous and community organizations |
| Summer Literacy Programming | Eight school divisions within the province receive funding from the Ministry of Education to provide rich learning experiences during the summer months to support higher achievement of students and to avoid summer reading loss of students. | Ministry of Education provides access to materials to users of the 11 public library systems |
| Supervised Parenting Time and Exchange Program | Court ordered supervision of parenting time between children and the non-residential parent (and potentially other family members) is provided by trained supervisors in a safe, child focused environment. | Ministry of Justice and Attorney General |
| Supportive Family Living Programs | Ensures children remaining in the family home are safe and cared for. These holistic wrap around supports provide one-on-one parenting advice, guidance and supervision to ensure children remain safely in the home. Families are offered a range of culturally-based responsive services including access to elders and knowledge keepers, ceremonies, healing circles and traditional teachings. This intensive supportive family living program service is offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by community-based organizations and is directed toward higher risk families. | Ministry of Social Services, Indigenous and community-based organizations |
| Talking Circles | Talking Circles are a traditional approach to include all voices for case planning with children, youth and families and their support system. Talking circles create a safe, culturally responsive approach for discussion and decision making so everyone is heard, respected and valued equally. | Ministry of Social Services and Indigenous organizations |
| Triple P Parenting Programs | A preventative program that aims to promote positive, caring relationships between parents and their children as well as aiding parents in the development of effective management strategies for dealing with a variety of childhood behaviour problems and common developmental issues. | Ministry of Social Services, Indigenous and community organizations |
| Visitation, Supervision & Transportation | Visitation services ensure children in out of home care continue to be closely connected to their parents, siblings and extended family, including facilitating and supervising visits when required and transportation to and from visits. | Ministry of Social Services, Indigenous and community organizations |
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3. Intensive Health Supports
| Program/Initiative | Purpose | Partners |
| Acquired Brain Injury | A comprehensive, integrated system of supports, resources and services that enhance the outcomes and improve quality of life for individuals with acquired brain injury and their families as well as, prevention of brain injuries across the life span. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Saskatchewan Government Insurance and community-based organizations |
| Alvin Buckwold Child Development Centre | Provides a range of diagnostic and treatment services to children 0-18 years age, as well as support for families. | Ministry of Health, Alvin Buckwold Child Development Centre, Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| Autism Individualized Funding | Supports a family’s ability to purchase services that best suit their child’s individual needs, who is under 12 years of age and has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, giving the family flexibility to choose from a range of eligible therapeutic interventions, respite and supports that will most benefit their child. | Ministries of Education, Health and Social Services, parents, service delivery providers and professionals |
| Chip and Dale Homes | May provide nursing supports for individuals with complex medical needs over the age of 18. | Ministry of Social Services, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Chip and Dale Homes |
| Cognitive Disability Strategy | Consultation is available through Cognitive Disability Consultants, who provide guidance to those who support individuals with cognitive disabilities, such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Acquired Brian Injury, Autism Spectrum Disorder, developmental and intellectual disabilities, and those who have significant behavioural and developmental challenges. The flexible funding option may assist to address the unmet needs of individuals with cognitive disabilities and their families, whose needs are not being met through existing services and support. | Ministries of Social Services, Health, Justice, Education, Saskatchewan Health Authority, local school divisions and community-based organizations |
| Family Respite Program | Provides parents or guardians of children with a diagnosis of intellectual disability, and meet the mandate of Community Living Service Delivery, with access to a monthly benefit payment for children up to the age of 18. The benefit amount is dependent upon the assessed need of the child and household income. The funding enables parents or guardians to purchase short-term alternative or additional supervision and care of the child(ren). This helps to improve the caregiver’s physical, emotional, and spiritual health and wellbeing. | Ministry of Social Services |
| Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Network of Saskatchewan FASD Intensive Direct Services |
The FASD Network of Saskatchewan delivers the Family Support Program that assists affected families with parenting skills and accessing services, and provides training to service providers across the province on how to support individuals who have FASD. The program provides in home support and education to referred families and communities to educate them about strategies related to FASD with the goal of keeping children out of care. |
Ministries of Social Services, Health, Integrated Justice Services, FASD Network |
| Home Care Individualized Funding | Allows the consumer (or their guardian in the case of children) to accept responsibility to manage and direct supportive service. Funding is provided to an individual (or their parent/guardian) to arrange and manage their own supportive care services. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| Hope’s Home | Hope’s Home is a supportive living facility that provides a child-centred environment for children that require out-of-home, long-term placement. | Ministries of Health and Social Services, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Hope’s Home |
| Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital | The hospital provides children and expectant mothers’ health care closer to home. It delivers high quality provincial acute care with child-life spaces, a greatly improved Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, pediatric high acuity beds and a 24/7 pediatric emergency department. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| Long-Term Care for Children | Residents under the age of 18 years of age are cared for and supported in long-term care facilities, including waiving the monthly resident fee. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| Medically Complex Children Residing in the Community (Family Caregivers) | Support is provided to family caregivers to allow these children to live safely at home and funding helps the direct care costs of children and young adults up to age 22 with very exceptional home care needs both in terms of complexity and intensity. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| Pediatric Therapists | The Saskatchewan Health Authority will send pediatric therapists to provide services to children and families referred by their pediatrician, general practitioner, nurse practitioner, health nurse or school district. | Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| Therapies - Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Therapy | A robust range of therapy services (physio, occupational and speech language) for children and youth to support them to improve independence, participate in everyday activities, improve mobility and independence. | Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| University of Saskatchewan - Clinical Teratology Program | A comprehensive provincial program to address FASD and other teratogenic conditions. | Ministry of Health, University of Saskatchewan |
| University of Saskatchewan - Saskatchewan Pediatric Auditory Rehabilitation Centre (SPARC) | Family-centred program focusing on early detection, assessment and aural rehabilitation of children with hearing loss. Collaborates with school divisions. Provides pre and post-operative cochlear implant assessments. | Ministry of Health, University of Saskatchewan and school divisions |
| Wascana Rehabilitation Centre | Offers a range of services for pediatric patients including Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech Language Therapy, hearing clinics and psychological and mental health services and supports. The SHA also provides therapeutic interventions to rural areas through Integrated Rural Primary Health Care. | Ministry of Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| Youth in Hospital | Provides funding to school divisions to provide direct educational services to youth who are in hospital or accessing mental health services in a provincial treatment facility. | Ministry of Education and school divisions |