I woke up this morning to find out that a program that has helped me and many others is being shut down. I want to fight back against this decision, as the program has been a lifesaving program for many.

The program shutting down will not only limit mental health resources for new generations, but will also put an end to the current program cycle which is actively helping youth in our community.

The Adolescent Day Treatment (ADT) program is a school-based treatment program that is based out of Brantford, Ontario. The ADT program is FREE of cost for families. The program aims to help youth ages 13–18 who are struggling with mental health challenges and are not currently attending school or are struggling with attending school due to mental health.

The Adolescent Day Treatment Program helps youth build skills to manage anxiety, depression, and other mental health or social challenges that make it hard to attend school or enjoy daily life.

The program also offers schoolwork that matches each student’s abilities. The goal is to help youth return to regular classes when they feel better and can handle school successfully.

The ADT program takes place at Pauline Johnson Collegiate & Vocational School in partnership with the Grand Erie District School Board. The program typically has two classrooms and can support up to 12 youth. It runs year-round and offers additional support opportunities in the summer (one-on-one time with workers, group activities, and additional mental health support).

The teen years can be a challenging time for young people, and they often don’t have many supports. As someone who was able to utilize this program, I can assure everyone that the staff who work in and run this program offer great supports and have taught extremely valuable lessons, skills, and have given me experiences I will never forget.

I believe any youth who is struggling should have the chance to succeed, and this program is a tool that has helped many of us.