B.C.’s Integrated Child & Youth Teams

Last updated on August 27, 2024

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The Integrated Child and Youth (ICY) Teams are part of B.C.'s strategy for mental health and substance use care. The ICY teams bring services together in a multidisciplinary team setting.

The teams make it easier for children and youth to connect to the care they need, where and when they need it – at school and in the community.

ICY Teams in BC

Learn about Integrated Child and Youth Teams

Each team supports children and youth within a school district area from early years to age 19 (potentially up to age 21 if they already receive services through an ICY Team, based on best fit).

Fast Facts Sheet

ICY Teams communities:

 

Phase 3 communities

  • School District 49 Central Coast (Bella Coola – Bella Bella) - Vancouver Coastal Health Authority 
  • School District 79 Cowichan Valley - Island Health Authority
  • School District 37 Delta - Fraser Health Authority
  • School District 74 Gold Trail (Lytton, Cache Creek, Lillooet) - Interior Health Authority
  • School District 58 Nicola-Similkameen (Princeton, Merritt) - Interior Health Authority
  • School District 59 Peace River South (Dawson Creek, Chetwynd) - Northern Health Authority 
  • School District 69 Qualicum - Island Health Authority
  • School District 36 Surrey (neighbourhood to be determined) - Fraser Health Authority
 

Phase 2 communities

  • School District 78 Fraser-Cascade (Hope, Agassiz/Harrison) – Fraser Health Authority
  • School District 20 Kootenay-Columbia (Castlegar/Trail) – Interior Health Authority
  • School District 75 Mission – Fraser Health Authority
  • School District 68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith – Island Health Authority
  • School District 83 North Okanagan-Shuswap (Salmon Arm) – Interior Health Authority
  • School District 70 Pacific Rim (Port Alberni) – Island Health Authority
  • School District 47 qathet (Powell River) – Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
 

Phase 1 communities

  • School District 42 Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows – Fraser Health Authority
  • School District 71 Comox Valley – Island Health Authority
  • School District 82 Coast Mountains (Terrace, Hazelton) – Northern Health Authority
  • School District 53 Okanagan-Similkameen (Oliver, Keremeos) – Interior Health Authority
  • School District 38 Richmond – Vancouver Coastal Health Authority

 

A total of 20 ICY communities will be implementing in 2024.

ICY Teams job postings

Details about ICY Teams:

 

Teams & services

ICY Team members include:

  • ICY program leaders
  • Child and youth mental health clinicians
  • ICY clinical counsellors
  • Youth substance use clinicians
  • Youth peer supports
  • Family/caregiver peer supports
  • Positions that support Indigenous children and youth
  • Administrative support roles

Team members work as a structured, integrated team, delivering wrap-around services and supports. Additional team members may be included, such as family physicians, social workers, coaches, support people, Elders, other counsellors or professionals, based on the child or youth's needs (non- funded).

ICY Teams will meet children, youth and families where they feel safe and comfortable and will deliver outreach/outbound services in addition to meeting in more traditional office settings.

Multicultural and culturally safer supports (as defined by the recipient) may be available, as determined in each community, including through positions that support Indigenous child and youth.

 

Access

ICY Teams help children, youth and families find the care they need. ICY Teams receive referrals from other service providers such as early years services, school staff, primary care, mental health and substance use services, Foundry centres and organizations who support First Nations, Métis and Inuit young people. Children, youth and families can self-refer when the teams are fully staffed and operating.

Access to care that upholds traditional relational structures in Indigenous communities are also important and could include a referral from a Hereditary Chief or the child / youth’s Nation.

ICY Teams will work closely with schools, early years services, and primary care, and connect children and youth to specialized and higher intensity services when needed.  

 

Indigenous services

The teams work towards culturally safer, distinctions-based, and child-, youth-, family- and community/Nation-centred approaches, by continually engaging and communicating with Indigenous partners and Nations. Approaches are gender, diversity and trauma informed. Wherever possible, services for First Nation, Métis and Inuit children and youth are offered by Indigenous providers or Indigenous positions and additional team members can be invited.

In addition, some children, youth and families may feel safer, more welcome and more likely to ask for help in a community-based setting. ICY Teams can provide services through community-based service settings in places or organizations who serve First Nations, Métis and Inuit children, youth and family, such as Friendship Centres, drop-in centres, recreational programs or meal programs, as applicable per community.

 

Coverage

Teams operate in school districts’ boundaries and maintain close ties with groupings of schools, serving all children, youth and families within a school district, including those attending First Nations-operated schools, independent schools, alternative education programs or those not in school.

If children and youth currently receive mental health or substance use services, they may remain with their current service provider, even if not in the same geographical area to continue relationships and attachments.

 

In Crisis?

Get immediate support for a...

  • Suicide crisis: 1 800 SUICIDE (1 800 784-­2433)
  • Mental health issue: 310-­6789 (24 hours)
  • KUU-US Indigenous crisis line: 1 800-588-8717 (24 hours)
  • Medical emergency: 911
A Pathway to Hope
Pathway to Hope document

Improving mental health & well-being for all British Columbians.

Useful contacts

The Provincial Support Office supports implementation of each Integrated Child and Youth Team. Contact us with questions.

MMHA.ProvincialSupportOffice@gov.bc.ca