Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Services (CAPS)

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Services (CAPS) offers a comprehensive mental health consultation for diagnosis, medication recommendations, and management suggestions to referring primary care providers and pediatricians. As well, collaborating with other child/youth mental health and addiction services in Thunder Bay and region.

Our overall purpose is to provide consultative and shared care recommendations to our partners in Thunder Bay and region. CAPS works together with families, schools, and other community agencies in collaboration with referents in a shared care model to provide client-centred care

Referrals can be made by primary care providers via Ocean.

Eligibility

CAPS accepts referrals from primary care providers and pediatricians for children up to age 18.

What is shared care?

Shared care is an approach which uses the skills and knowledge of a range of health professionals who share joint responsibility in relation to an individual’s care. This also implies monitoring and exchanging patient data and sharing skills and knowledge between disciplines.

What does CAPS offer?

• Comprehensive assessment
• Psychiatric consultation
• Diagnostic clarification
• Management & treatment recommendations
• Mental health education
• Collaboration & advocacy with community partners
• Social Work and Psychology supportive services
• Psychoeducation
• Skill-building

What to expect once you are referred

• Once referral is received a nursing phone intake assessment will be scheduled with the parent/guardian of the youth within 4 weeks of receiving the referral
• Following the phone assessment, the youth will be triaged to the most appropriate service to meet their needs. CAPS also is part of an integrated triage team (which includes Children Centre Thunder Bay, DIlico Health and Wellness and Canadian Mental Health Association) to provide a collaborated approach to servicing children and youth.

Who are the CAPS team members?

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists
• Physicians
• Residents
• Nurse Practitioner
• Registered Nurses
• Psychology
• Social Worker
• Learners
• CAPS also utilizes SickKids Telepsychiatry via OTN

 

-- Updated: December 10, 2024 --