Clinical social work with child and youth mental health in Vernon Jubilee Hospital

This report focuses on what I learned about the child and youth mental health (CYMH) system during my Master of Social Work (MSW) practicum at Vernon Jubilee Hospital (VJH) located in Vernon, British Columbia. It targets the development of child and youth mental illness, as it relates to a holistic model of health and demonstrates the significance of social and cultural contexts in the search to improve the health of Aboriginal communities and reduce the vulnerability to children and youth at risk of developing a mental illness. Services on the Women and Children’s Health Services (WCHS) unit at VJH are highlighted, including the assessment, treatment planning, safety planning, referral and safe discharge of CYMH clients. Reviewing the literature provided the theoretical context for connecting culturally diverse frameworks to clinical competencies in delivering CYMH care.