The Lyall Day Hospital is a specialized clinical program that helps children aged 6 to 12 years old with behavioural challenges and their families. The child psychiatry program has been offered at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute (DMHUI) for over 35 years in both French and English, depending on the child’s language of education.
The program’s therapeutic educational activities aim to teach children:
- to regulate their disruptive behaviours and their emotions;
- to improve their relationships with peers and adults;
- to develop skills that will help them to better function at home, at school, and in the community.
The Lyall Day Hospital provides services to children who:
- are of primary school age (6 to 12 years old), from Grade 1 to Grade 6;
- have severe externalizing behavioural issues (such as aggressive behaviours, opposition, emotional outbursts);
- face mental health and other issues (such as anxiety, ADHD, language difficulties);
- do not function at school and have functional issues with their family;
- no longer qualify for school and/or local services in mental health provided by CIUSSS facilities (such as a CLSC).
The program does not accept children with:
- a diagnosed intellectual disability;
- a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder;
- a physical disability and/or requiring complex medical care.
Program operation and duration
The Lyall Day Hospital welcomes four groups of six children for one school year. During their participation in this program, which runs four days per week, the child receives therapeutic educational treatment for half the day. The other half of the day consists of 2.5 hours of academic time.
The children continue to attend their usual school on Wednesdays.The program’s goal is to reintegrate the child into their usual school as they progress.
The clinical team at the Lyall Day Hospital collaborates with teachers from the Angrignon Elementary School of the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) to provide the children with support and services.
There is a strong emphasis on collaborating with the child, the family, and the school to help the child to better function in their daily life.
The interdisciplinary team that supports the children and their families consists of the following professionals:
- Group therapist
- Social worker
- Art therapist
- Speech therapist
- Occupational therapist
- Beneficiary attendant
- Administrative Agent