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Project Update: Meaford MFRC Partners with Keystone Child, Youth and Family Services
During Canadian Forces (CF) Summits I and II, many participants noted that there was a need for more robust partnerships with community mental health services, particularly in locations where Canadian/Military Family Resource Centres (C/MFRCs) serve a diverse group of CF families over a wide geographic area.
Meaford MFRC has successfully engaged in such a partnership with Keystone Child, Youth and Family Services. This partnership has the makings of a best practice for C/MFRCs serving widespread communities, so Director Military Family Services requested information on outcomes in order to assess the impact of the partnership.
The results have been very impressive thus far. Not only has the partnership eliminated what was previously an up to four- to six-year waiting list for CF families to receive mental health services, but the number of CF families accessing clinical services has increased ten-fold since the launch of the partnership in 2007. This partnership is an excellent example of how a geographically diverse community with few referral services and frequent postings in-and-out of their area can offer high calibre and responsive service to CF families.
The results of this project will be included in DMFS’ comprehensive analysis of the proposed enhancements for the Military Family Services Program. Those projects that are selected to proceed will then be proposed for endorsement by Chief Military Personnel.
