ROCK Information Package

Welcome to Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK)

ROCK is an accredited, multi-service organization providing services to children and their families in Halton. ROCK has a wide offering of programming and services available including individual mental health supports, group based mental health programming and specialized services including a wide range of Autism and FASD supports and focused early years programming including a EarlyON centre. Our services are available for children and youth ages 0 to 17, with limited programming available for up to 21 years old.

The team at ROCK consists of highly skilled staff from a variety of educational and cultural backgrounds. We function on a multidisciplinary team basis; your team may include, psychologists, social workers, counsellors, early childhood educators, peer support providers, autism and behavior therapists, and occupational therapists. The team works collaboratively, bringing a broad range of specialities, perspectives and experiences to meet your unique needs. From time to time, as necessary, certain aspects of our work together may be discussed with other members of this team.

Building Rock Solid People. Leading The Way.

ROCK is the appointed Lead Agency for the child and youth mental health sector and for Coordinated Service Planning in Halton. We are proud to collaborate with our partners to strengthen the community-based system for delivering mental health services.

ROCK Accepts Everybody

ROCK recognizes, welcomes and accepts the diversity of our clients and their families with respect to race, national or ethnic ancestry, place of origin, colour, religion, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, family status, mental or physical disability, or language.

If you require services in a language other than English, we will make every effort to accommodate you.

Clients and their families have the right to be accompanied by a service animal in all areas of the agency where they are typically allowed to go, unless restricted by law for health and safety reasons. Clients also have the right to request reasonable accommodations for emotional support animals, based on their individual needs and with appropriate documentation from a qualified health professional. All clients will be treated with dignity, respect, and without discrimination in relation to their use of a service animal or an emotional support animal.

If you are bringing an animal to ROCK, please make sure they’re health, up-to-date on all required vaccinations (including rabies), and well-behaved. Your animal should be trained, under control, and on a leash, harness, or safely contained at all times. To keep our environment calm and safe for everyone, we ask that your animal not be disruptive. If they become aggressive or overly disruptive, we may ask you to take them off the property.

Child/Youth and Family Centred Care

Child/youth and family-centred care is an approach to care and service delivery that recognizes that the child /youth is at the core of all that we do, and that the family is central in the child’s life and therefore central to our care processes.

At ROCK, we believe that child/youth and family-centred care is achieved through: respect, whereby clients and families receive personalized and compassionate care; communication, which promotes mutual understanding; and partnership, whereby children and families are engaged in their care in an authentic and collaborative way. We believe that this approach results in optimal health, client safety, health equity, and a positive client and family experience.

Receiving Services at ROCK

ROCK works closely with children, youth and their families to understand which programming can enhance existing strengths and meet identified needs to support a child or youth’s goals for service.

All participation in ROCK programming and services is voluntary. A child may make service decisions and/or privacy decisions if they are deemed “capable”. A “capable” child/youth can request and receive services without a parent/guardian’s consent. However, we review and encourage the involvement of parents/guardians whenever possible as it can lead to better outcomes and greater positive impact of service. Where a youth is at-risk or seeking live-in treatment, the involvement of parent/guardians is sought.

For children/youth who are not deemed capable, we will work with their families to identify the appropriate Substitute Decision Maker(s). ROCK respects that there are a wide range of legal decision-making arrangements and families may be required to provided additional details and/or provide additional documentation to support privacy and service decisions.

ROCK is committed to providing a safe environment for everyone who interacts with us. If at any time you do not feel safe for any reason, we encourage you to talk to the staff you are working with.

Consent for Service

To make an informed decision about whether services are right, clients or their substitute decision makers, will be informed about the services for which match their identified needs, their known risks and benefits, alternatives they might consider and the waiting times that may be involved. This information is intended to help our clients make the best choice about services.

If you do not understand that information being provided by staff, please ask for clarification or for more information. It is our job to help you understand. If you feel that you could benefit from external advice regarding treatment options, please feel free to get such advice (such as from an external health care provider).

In addition to the decision about whether to obtain service at ROCK, there are other decision points as service proceeds. Clients, and their family, will have the opportunity to participate in the development of an individualized care plan that meets their needs and preferences. Care plans will be reviewed on a regular basis with the input of all those who participated in developing the plan. In each situation, informed consent is required to proceed. Clients have the right to say no to a proposed plan and to be made aware of possible alternatives.

Possible Risks and Benefits of Service

Possible benefits association with services include:

Children and youth are provided with a welcoming environment where they can safely explore issues related to their mental health
The development of strategies for achieving and maintaining improved mental health
The development of life skills and adaptive coping skills
Improvement in self-image, self-esteem and self-confidence
Improvement in family and peer relationships

Possible risks associated with services include:

Exploring issues related to mental health can sometimes be difficult for a child, youth and family members
Changes in family dynamics that may be unexpected or undesired
Exposure to unexpected or undesired behaviours of others if you are involved in group services
Treatment goals may not be obtained

Service Specific

Clients and their families will also be informed of any service specific benefits and risk as you begin with a new service.

Rights and Responsibilities

We believe that everyone receiving services at ROCK has certain rights and responsibilities.

Your rights include the right to:

Be informed of, know and understand your rights
Be treated with dignity, respect, honesty and integrity
Be and feel safe
Receive safe, competent and effective services
Be treated fairly no matter what your age, race, culture, ethnicity, sex, religion, gender identity and/or sexual orientation
Be involved in decisions about the services you receive
To have a support person or advocate involved in services
Participate in assessment, treatment planning and the setting of goals
Raise concerns about the quality of service
Inform your clinician of any complaints about services, and be responded to in a timely manner
Refuse service or refuse to have certain people involve in your service
Withdraw from services at any time without consequence
Review your file with your/your child’s clinician and be informed about how the information is used; please see the ROCK Privacy page for additional information
Add information to the file that you may feel is important; and to request the correction of any factual errors in the file; please see the ROCK Privacy page for additional information.
Have your personal health information kept private and confidential
To take part in or refuse to take part in research
If you live in a ROCK live in treatment program, you have additional rights that are shared to you by our staff.

Your responsibilities include:

Actively participating in the services and all meetings concerning your family
Informing our staff if you feel our service is not meeting your needs
Attending scheduled appointments and notifying our staff if you are unable to attend and/or need to change an appointment
Respecting the privacy of others, including their right to confidentiality, when involved in group services
Treating ROCK staff, students and volunteers with respect, dignity and safety

If you have a question or concern about your rights or responsibilities, you can seek advice from:

A ROCK staff or ask to speak to a supervisor
Your parent(s)/caregiver(s)
A legislative office

Confidentiality

Services are ROCK are private and confidential, although there are exceptions when we must, by law, release information. ROCK staff will review these limitations to confidentiality with you at the beginning of your work together.

These limitations include:

Should we have a concern that a child or youth under the age of 16 has been or is at risk of being abused, either physically or sexually, emotionally maltreated, or neglected (including a failure or inability of caregivers to follow through on services necessary to alleviate significant emotional or developmental difficulties), we are legally required to contact the Children’s Aid Society. For youth aged 16 or 17, we may make a report where we have a reasonable suspicion that the youth may be in need of protection.
Should we have concern that someone is at risk for suicide or seriously threatens the safety of others, we have an ethical obligation, and a legal responsibility, to disclose information to those who would help ensure safety (e.g. police).
Where ROCK has been court ordered to share information about a child’s service and where have had to do so.
Should you advise us about sexual abuse or harassment by a health care provider, who is a member of a regulated profession (e.g. physician, occupational therapist, psychologist), we would be legally required to report that health care provider’s name to their College, although we will not reveal your name unless we receive written permission from you.
Should we suspect that an older adult in a Long-Term Care or Retirement Home is being abused, neglected, or improperly treated, we are required by law to report our concerns to those who would ensure the person’s safety.

Information Sharing

ROCK requires a client’s written consent before sharing or receiving information, including personal health information, with other persons outside of this agency and would discuss this with you in advance; please refer to the limitations of confidentiality.

ROCK shares de-identified information with approved external sources as required; this data may be analyzed for the purpose of research.

Every four years, ROCK is accredited and in the process your file may be reviewed. On occasion client files may be reviewed by a clinician’s governing college (e.g. the college of psychologists) to ensure that appropriate processes are being followed in accordance with the standards and guidelines set out for professionals.

If you have concerns about the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal health information, please contact our privacy officer: privacy@rockonline.ca

Please refer to ROCK’s Privacy page for further information.

Client Concern/Complaint Process

ROCK will respond to client concerns of any nature in a timely and respectful manner. Should have concern or a complaint, you are encouraged to discuss the issue with staff involved and/or their lead/manager.

You can take any unresolved concerns/complaints directly to the VP of Clinical Services and/or the CEO for resolution. If you feel your concern/complaint is still unresolved you can contact the:

Ontario Child Advocate

Provincialadvocate.on.ca | 1-800-263-2641

Ombudsman of Ontario

Ombudsman.on.ca | 1-800-263-1830

How To Share Your Thoughts with Us

Clients and their families who have received ROCK services can share your thoughts of our service. One way you can share your feedback is through our Client Experience Questionnaire. We actively review these surveys and use them to inform meaning improvement to our services. With your permission we also have created opportunities for your informal feedback that you may have shared with your service provider to be used for quality improvement purposes.

ROCK’s Board of Directors, Leadership team and staff welcome your thoughts and suggestions. We encourage input from our clients and use it to help improve our services.

Communicating with ROCK

You are welcome to communicate with staff, students and volunteers at ROCK by email/text as long as you understand the risks, limitations, conditions of use, and instructions for the use of electronic communication services (email, text messaging).

ROCK staff cannot provide counselling via email/text but we can schedule and cancel and appointments and exchange generic information and resources. Email/texting with ROCK staff must respect professional guidelines within which the staff works. If your counsellor/therapists has concerns, they will speak with you directly.

Please see the Email and Text Policy for further details.