On Wednesday, June 4, 2025, Youth Wellness Hub Ontario (YWHO) Northumberland is pleased to announce that youth in Northumberland County can now access free, low-barrier mental health and peer support services through our virtual platform. Since soft-launching virtual services in March, YWHO Northumberland has seen steady growth in youth engagement.
“We’ve seen a number of referrals come through from youth themselves, family members seeking support for their loved ones, and community agencies requesting support for their clients” says Alexis Forde, YWHO Northumberland Care Coordinator and Hub Manager.
“I recently spoke with a parent in the community who expressed relief after learning about our available counselling services. After her daughter shared that she was struggling with her mental health, neither knew where to get started. With the launch of virtual services, YWHO Northumberland can now be a recognizable spot for youth and families to access services and start getting the support they need.”
Youth can access our virtual services through our online referral form. The YWHO Northumberland team has created a helpful guide outlining how to complete the form and what to expect during the intake process [https://ywhnorthumberland.ca/virtual].
Currently, YWHO Northumberland offers virtual mental health and substance use counselling with our Clinician, as well as peer support sessions with our Peer Support Specialist.
“YWHO Northumberland is the first Youth Wellness Hub in Ontario to launch virtual services before opening our physical hub location, demonstrating our team’s dedication to supporting youth in the county” says Sam Rockbrune, Executive Director of Rebound Child & Youth Services, lead agency of YWHO Northumberland. “While we eagerly await the completion of renovations at our building in Port Hope, our team continues to innovate and find new ways to engage and support youth. We will be rolling out additional new opportunities for youth to engage with us in the coming months. Stay tuned for our announcement about the opening of our beautiful new space this summer!”
YWHO Northumberland looks forward to sharing updates about services, construction, and more as we prepare to launch our full range of integrated youth services in Northumberland County this summer. These services will include primary care, mental health and substance use counselling, service navigation, peer support and community and social supports, all through youth-friendly access points.
Visit www.ywhnorthumberland.ca today to learn more and access services through our online referral form.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
