Substance Abuse Services (New Experience Program)
Who Can Use This Service?
This service is intended for children and youth, ages 12 to 18 who are concurrently struggling with substance misuse (alcohol and other drugs) and social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.
Presenting difficulties may include addiction issues together with trauma, grief and loss, abuse, depression, anxiety and suicidal thinking.
Parents and families of these youth are also eligible for service. Parent consultations are also available, even if a youth refuses service.
Youth are not eligible for this service if
- there is a significant developmental issue/delays
- the youth does not consent for service
What Is Offered?
The program offers:
- Youth Education and Screening Group
- Community-based services including assessment and treatment for youth and their families. This can take the form of individual counselling or group work.
- Parent services that include parent education and/or an individual parent consultation.
- Family therapy
- Culturally-based (Anishinabek) therapeutic and recreational programming. This is tailored to the Aboriginal youth in the program; however, all youth regardless of ethnicity are welcome to participate.
How Will This Service Help?
The program will assist the youth in identifying their strengths, and using this as a means of developing a treatment plan to best assist them in overcoming their substance abuse and mental health struggles. The service is multi-disciplinary in nature and includes Social Work, Psychology and Psychiatry, as needed.
Aboriginal, culturally-based therapeutic and recreational group programming is also available to assist youth in embracing a positive, healthy lifestyle.
Our services begin where the youth and family are with respect to their issues and their motivation for change. We actively work in collaboration with the youth, family and other service providers to develop a flexible, creative and individualized plan of action. Parent education and support is also provided.
The intake process involves having all youth first attend the Youth Education and Screening Group (which is run in collaboration with partners, Sister Margaret Smith Centre and Thunder Bay Counselling Centre) for purpose of education, and the early stages of assessment. If the youth is committed to make positive change, the assessment is completed and a plan for intervention is then negotiated with the client. This plan can also include a referral to one of our partner agencies.
We recognize that healing and change take many different forms. Thus, this service strives to find solutions by drawing upon various strategies that best meet the needs of the youth and family.
How Can You Find Out More Or Access This Service?
Referrals can be made by youth, family members or service providers by contacting New Experiences intake at 343-6372.
As well you can call 343-5000 to request an appointment with our intake services staff who will gather some information and discuss with you whether this service or another one would best meet your needs.
Other Information And Quick Links:
The New Experiences program works in collaboration with the Sister Margaret Smith Centre -Youth Services and the Thunder Bay Counselling Centre to provide integrated addictions services to youth in the community. The entry point into any of these partner agencies will result in the youth/family accessing the appropriate resources that best meet their needs.
Thunder Bay Counselling Centre
Sister Margaret Smith Centre – Youth Addictions
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
