Children’s Services

Dilico provides opportunities to develop healthy children, youth and families through individual and community services, assessment, treatment and follow-up.

We work with Indigenous residents in Dilico’s jurisdiction and children in the care of Dilico and their caregivers to build on strengths and encourage developing new skills for various challenges.

District Native Child and Family Counselling (NCFC)

Outpatient counselling, assessment, therapeutic groups, education, and client advocacy to individuals aged 5-17. Addresses concerns related to suicide, self-harm, social skills, racism, isolation, trauma and substance use, mood, anxiety, behavioural, grief and loss, bullying.

Community Mental Health and Addictions Services

Assists clients 0-18 to engage in pro-social and culturally safe community activities, cope with mental health concerns, substance misuse, and monitoring child development. We also provide counselling and case management services, make home visits, perform mental health screenings and assessments, provide individualized treatment and advocacy, and collaborate with external partners to provide needed support.

Infant Child Development Services

We work with children with developmental delay concerns from birth until they enter school, even if a formal medical diagnosis has not yet been made. Services are primarily home-based, allowing for a seamless integration into the child’s and family’s daily routines.

Services include:

Family parenting strategies and programming
Support while you wait for a Case Manager
System navigation, support and advocacy with external professionals
Activity planning to promote cognitive, motor, and communication skills
Screening and assessment
Individualized treatment planning based on family input
Therapeutic play sessions with children

Abiinojiishiik Amino Yawook EarlyON Child And Family Centre

A family friendly, culturally safe and respectful site that offers children (aged 0-6), parents, and caregivers a positive learning environment with a wide range of programming, including:

Fun and engaging drop-in play-based learning experiences such as drawing, drumming, storytelling, reading, and imaginative play
Information and referrals to specialized programming
Advice from professionals trained in early childhood development
Opportunities to socialize and make connections with other children, families, and caregivers

The Centre is located at 131 Archibald St N in Thunder Bay. Hours of operation and related events can be found on our Facebook page.

Stop Now And Plan (SNAP)

An evidence based cognitive behavioural program intended to help children and parents effectively manage their emotions to keep problems small. This program is intended for children and youth aged 6-11 who experience behavioural problems at home, school, or with authority figures, and includes:

Programming for children with multiple risk factors or challenges such as lower grades, dropping out school, stealing, bullying, and defiance, or who are at a greater risk of criminal or violent behaviour
Weekly engaging group sessions over a 13-week period to simulate real world experiences
Supports and skills to improve the parent/caregiver and child relationship
Goal setting to prevent future antisocial behaviour and reduce family, peer, or authority figure conflict

Family Preservation Services

A supportive, intensive, home-based program providing short-term services for families with children/youth up to 18 years old who experience difficulties functioning as a family unit and/or children experiencing serious mental health concerns. This program encourages parents and caregivers to build on existing strengths to support children suffering from mental health.

The program includes:

4-6 months of intensive services
Effective, evidence-based practices
Assessment, collaborative treatment and transition planning
Culturally-based parenting strategies
Skills in effective parenting, behaviour & anger management, problem solving, and communication
Assistance accessing other support services

Counselling & Clinical Services

Individual and group counselling focused on emotional regulation, social skills development, and building healthy coping strategies. Counsellors also support safety planning when needed, and work collaboratively with parents, caregivers, and foster parents to reinforce skills and strategies within the home environment.

The program also provides:

Skills-based groups for youth on the waitlist
Adult clinical counselling using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) based approaches that support emotion regulation, anxiety, mood concerns, stress management, and relationship challenges, helping develop skills to strengthen coping, resilience, and overall well-being
All ages walk-in counselling
Access to psychology services for consultation and diagnostic assessment related to behavioural, social, emotional, adaptive, cognitive, intellectual, academic, and executive functioning
Autism screening and assessment for Indigenous children and youth up to age 18
Access to psychiatry services for children and youth

Mental Health Nursing Supports

Provided to district communities to support mental monitoring and medication administration for schizophrenia, harm prevention assessment, post-partum depression screening and advocacy, anxiety/depression medication monitoring, individual and community education and more.

Ojiichaagwan Ani-Mino-Aya Anti Human Trafficking

Voluntary intensive 12 week live-in treatment program for youth ages 12-17 that provides individualized care using an Indigenous healing lodge model. This program provides a safe and supportive environment for individuals who have been, or are at risk of, exploitation and trafficking.

Good Path Program (School Based Services)

A strength-focused cultural approach for mental health support and prevention to address the needs of children and youth experiencing difficulties in a regular classroom setting due to social, emotional or behavioural concerns. The Good Path program is grounded in the 7 grandfather teachings and operates from September-June with youth attending on school days for a half-day, and is provided in partnership with the Lakehead District School Board

The program provides:

Effective, evidence-based practices to support emotional regulation, growth mindset, and social emotional learning
Assessment, treatment, behavioural programming, consultation and follow up
Collaboration with home school to support generalization of skills

Oshkiniig Mashkaziiwin (Youth Intensive Live-In Treatment)

A voluntary program for youth aged 5-17 who have been assessed as high-risk with longstanding mental health and behavioural problems. Parent or caregiver participation is required for successful completion of the up to 12 week program that’s guided by the 7 sacred teachings (wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility and truth).