The recent expansion of a Youth Diversion program into North Hastings is allowing more young people to receive easy access to counselling to treat addictions.
The program has counsellor Missy Baldwin working in an office inside North Hastings High School.
Baldwin says when she opened the office at the start of last school year, she had 17 referrals right away.
Now, she often has about 60 teenagers in her caseload, who come to her for support with a range of addictions. That includes behavioural addictions, such as to video games, or addictions to substances, including vaping products.
She says the number of youth on her case list suggests that addiction issues pose a serious problem here. But she feels those students are receiving the support they need; she’s already seen several move into adulthood feeling confident they can overcome addictions.
She also says part of her work involves breaking down stigmas and helping youth understand how addictions develop.
“One of the most common remarks I hear from adults when you talk about addictions is, ‘well, they chose that.’ I really want to put it out there that that’s not the case,” she says. “There are so many circumstances and reasons as to how a youth gets involved in drugs. A lot of the time, there’s a major correlation between addiction and mental health.”
Baldwin’s work falls under a Youth Diversion program called KAIROS.
It recently received a $29,100 boost from the Canada Post Community Foundation. It donated the money to support children in Hastings & Prince Edward who struggle with addictions.
The program was able to expand last year, when United Way funding allowed workers like Baldwin to set up offices in some Hastings & Prince Edward District School Board schools.
