Turning Point Youth Services (TPYS) is an accredited, not-for-profit, multi-service agency serving youth and their families. Most of our programs serve youth 12 to 17 years of age, however, our transitional housing, shelter and Youth In Transition Worker serve young adults 16 to 24 years of age. We offer four integrated program areas for youth facing challenges: counselling services, Live-In Treatment (including emergency shelter), school programs, and support for youth in trouble with the law. We also offer referrals to other services and agencies, and work closely with community partners for coordinated client support.
Our services allow for considerable flexibility in adjusting our clients’ treatment plans to accommodate their changing needs. Once they are a client of TPYS, our broad range of services are available to them. We take pride in our collaborative, relationship-based approach, working closely with clients to build on their strengths and attributes.
Counselling:
Our counselling schedule is flexible, with sessions offered during the day, after school, and in the evening. And while most sessions take place in our 95 Wellesley Street East location, we also provide counselling in the community, in clients’ homes, and sometimes over the phone. The time period for treatment is dependent on the client needs and specific program. Some youth work with us for a single session, while others come to us for a couple of months or a year. We work with clients to develop treatment goals, so the duration of their involvement with us depends on their progress toward their goals.
Live-In and Day Treatment:
Our Live-In programs are located in the east end of the city and provide a supportive living environment where youth can work on their individual goals. A range of treatment services are available focusing on each young person’s unique needs. Our Live-In clients are involved in all aspects of residential programming, from grocery shopping to menu planning, cooking, cleaning, and selection of community activities and in-house programming. In some cases, clients are able to transition from Live-In Treatment to our transitional housing program.
Our 95 Wellesley Street East location offers emergency shelter beds for up to 35 male and transgender youth (who identify as male). There are also additional services available for youth and families at risk of homelessness at our 95 Wellesley location.
Our Day Treatment Program is designed for high school students between the ages of 12-17 who are experiencing significant challenges at school, including struggling with academics, attendance, mental health, family, or other persistent issues, and who are not able to successfully attend a community school. Students benefit from the intensive therapeutic support that the program provides.
Youth Justice Services:
For justice-involved youth, Turning Point has Youth Mental Health Court Workers (YMHCW) who can assist a young person in connecting to services that will help with their charges. The Youth Mental Health Court Workers are located at the court house at 10 Armoury St. and do not require a formal referral. The Turning Point PATH Program (PATH) is usually mandated by the court, with referrals through probation services, YMHCWs, court programs or young people themselves. PATH offers justice-involved youth a variety of programming including SNAP-Youth Justice (Stop Now and Plan) for males, Girls PATH and Music PATH. Counselling and trauma specific counselling with a social worker is also available. PATH Program and Counselling are offered at our 95 Wellesley location and in the community. Finally the YJ Mental Health Access, a partnership with CTYS, offers youth access to specialized assessment services and counselling.
All of our staff are professionals trained in child and youth work, social work, clinical psychology, or a related discipline, and where required, licensed through the appropriate regulatory body.
Turning Point Youth Services is accredited by the Canadian Centre for Accreditation.
Turning Point strives to be accessible.
For more detailed information on TPYS’s programs, download What We Do – A Guide to our Programs and Services..
If you would like to refer a youth, please contact Help Ahead at 1-866-585-6486.
