Resources
Emergency, Information & Referrals
Anxiety BC
www.anxietybc.com
BC211 (Resources for all needs, all ages)
www.bc211.ca (or ph: 211)
BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services
www.bcmhsus.ca
Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance
www.caddra.ca
Chatterblock (Parenting Resources)
www.chatterblock.com
Dr. Ross Greene, Collaborative Communication
www.drrossgreene.com
Families for Addiction Recovery
www.farcanada.org
Foundry (Health & Wellness Resources for Youth)
foundrybc.ca
Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre
www.keltymentalhealth.ca
Kids Help Phone
www.kidshelpphone.ca
Ku’uus Aboriginal Crisis Services
1.800.588.8717
Need2 (Suicide Prevention Information and Support)
https://need2.ca
Trans Lifeline
1.877.330.6366
Two-Spirit, Trans, Queer & Allied Youth Drop-in and Family Support
250.475.7624
Vancouver Island Crisis Line
www.vicrisis.ca
Youth in BC (Crisis Intervention Services)
www.youthinbc.com
Youthspace
- Online chat for youth/young adults to age 30, 6 – 11 p.m. daily
- Texting support #:778.783.8565
Island Sexual Health
250.812.9374
- Text line for youth with sexual health questions and concerns
Crisis and Information Lines
Alcohol & Drug Information & Referral Service
www.healthlinkbc.ca
1-800-663-1441
Lower Mainland: 604-660-9382
- This service is available to people across B.C. needing help with any
kind of substance abuse issues 24 hours a day. It provides information
and referral to education, prevention and treatment services and
regulatory agencies.
Crisis Line Association of BC
www.crisislines.bc.ca
- In Crisis? Call 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) to speak with crisis
line workers anytime of the day or night. - Looking for information and support? Call 310-6789 to reach the Mental
Health and Information and Support Line, from anywhere in the
province. You will receive emotional support, and information on
appropriate referral options and a wide range of support relating to
mental health concerns.
HealthLinkBC
www.healthlinkbc.ca
Anywhere in BC: 8-1-1
TTY (Deaf and hearing-impaired): 7-1-1
Government Services
Ministry of Children & Family Development (MCFD)
Child and Youth Mental Health Services
CYMH Saanich
201, 4478 W. Saanich Rd.
250.952.5073
CYMH Victoria
302, 2955 Jutland Rd.
250.356.1123
CYMH West Shore
2nd Floor, 345 Wale Rd.
250.391.2223
CYMH Aboriginal Team
2nd Floor, 1195 Esquimalt Rd.
250.952.4073
Eating Disorders
302, 2955 Jutland Rd.
250.387.0000
VIHA Discovery Youth and Family Addiction Services
530 Fraser Street, Victoria
250.519.5313
- Counselling for Youth (12- 19) & Family Caregivers
- Ask about SMART parent groups
High Risk Team
- Teens (up to 19 ) struggling with suicidal thoughts
250.952.5073
Helpful links from the Office of the Minister of Children and Family Development
Education
BC Ministry of Education and Child Care
Capital Region Action Team (CRAT)
- “We are a group of people who care about youth who are trading and selling sex for survival, or who are being lured into being sexually exploited. We raise awareness of this issue and identify gaps in services for these youth.”
Children of the Street Society
- Offers TCO2 (Taking Care of Ourselves, Taking Care of Others), a unique and empowering workshop designed and delivered by youth, for youth about preventing sexual exploitation. VFCYJC partners in the delivery of these workshops to schools in the Greater Victoria area.
School Districts
* Island Health School-Based Wellness Centres
Belmont Secondary, Royal Bay Secondary and Edward Milne Community School
- Walk-in clinics offering in-house, confidential medical services to youth up to age 25 whether in school or not.
Youth and Community Services
Boys & Girls Club of Victoria
www.bgcvic.org
250.384.9133
- Yates St., Victoria
- Supportive Recover/Turning Point Care Homes for youth (13 – 19)
- Parenting Programs bgcvic.org/youth-family-and-parenting-programs/parenting-programs/parents-together-program
Community Options for Children and Families
www.cocf.ca
250.380.6363
1595 Bay Street, Victoria, V8R 2B5
- Family support services – children and youth with developmental challenges
Family Services of Greater Victoria
https://www.fsgv.org
250.386.4331
1004 North Park St., Victoria (in the Social Innovation Centre)
- Non-profit agency helps children, youth and adults manage the challenges of separation, divorce or transition to a new family structure.
Family Smart (formerly the FORCE Society)
www.familysmart.ca
250.818.4810 or 1.855.887.8004
- Family support services – children and youth with mental health challenges
Foundry Victoria
www.victoriayouthclinic.ca
www.foundrybc.ca
250.383.3552
818 Douglas Street (beside Noodle Box)
Monday to Thursday: 1 – 5 pm,
Friday: 11 am – 4 pm
- Doctor/Walk-in Counselling (M-F 1100-300)/Psychiatrist/Youth Outreach Worker /Discovery Substance Use Counsellor/Transcare BC Peer Support/ Counselling/STI Testing/Umbrella Peer Counsellor
Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health
www.viha.ca
250.519.5390
2400 Arbutus Rd., Victoria
- Ledger House – Acute in-patient psychiatric services (6 – 16), urgent or planned, professional referrals
- www.viha.ca
- 250-519-6756
- Anscomb Outreach Services – Evaluation/planning/treatment for significant emotional, behavioural, psychological, psychiatric symptoms; professional referrals required
- www.viha.ca
- 250-519-6720
- Rainbow Kitchen is a family-friendly community kitchen that specializes in providing delicious meals and connecting the community to resources. Programs include school meal delivery for vulnerable students at three Esquimalt schools.
Saanich Peninsula Youth Health Clinic
250.656.4143
2A- 2379 Bevan Ave., Sidney, BC
Thursdays 5:30 – 7:30 pm
- Walk in for youth ages 12 – 24
- Child and youth mental health counsellor also available
Thrive
250.383.4821
1095 McKenzie Avenue, 4th Floor, Victoria, V8P 2L5
- Children and youth mental health outreach
Umbrella Society for Addictions and Mental Health
www.umbrellasociety.ca
250.380-0595
- Provides support to individuals and their loved ones struggling with substance use issues
USTAT (Urgent Short Term Assessment and Treatment
250.213.4400
- Adult mental health (19+); referral from physician
Victoria Native Friendship Centre
www.vnfc.ca
250.384.3211
231 Regina Ave., Victoria
VIRCS (Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society)
www.vircs.bc.ca
250.361.9433
1004 North Park St., Victoria
(Victoria) Youth Empowerment Society
www.vyes.ca
533 Yates St., Victoria (hours vary depending on program; email addresses below)
- Kiwanis Emergency Youth Shelter – keys@vyes.ca
- Family Support Services – keys@vyes.ca
- Mental Health Liaison – mentalhealthliaison@vyes.ca
- Life Skills Day Program – lifeskills@vyes.ca
- Supported Independent Living – sil@vyes.ca
- Specialized Youth Detox – syd@vyes.ca
- Youth Services Outreach Program – outreach@vyes.ca
- Alliance Club/Summer Opportunities – allianceclub@vyes.ca
Emergency – if a child’s safety is imminently at risk (suicide, life-threatening injury or mental health). If you need help getting the child to the hospital, call 911 or call the Vancouver Island Crisis Line: 1.888.494.3888 (www.vicrisis.ca)
Based on age, these are the hospital options:
- Between 12 and 24 years old and live in Saanich, go to Saanich Peninsula Hospital, 2166 Mt Newton X Road
- Under 17 years old, go to Victoria General Hospital, 1 Hospital Way
- 17 or older, go to Royal Jubilee Hospital, 1295 Bay Street
Island Health School-Based Wellness Centres
Belmont Secondary, Royal Bay Secondary and Edward Milne Community School
- Walk-in clinics offering in-house, confidential medical services to youth up to age 25 whether in school or not.
Counselling Services (child, youth, family)
Cascadia Consultation Services
250.590.7050
#300, 755 Queens Ave., Victoria
- Child/youth/family counselling, sliding scale
Greater Victoria Citizen’s Counselling Centre
250.384.9934
941 Kings Rd., Victoria
- Adult Education Groups & one-on-one sliding-scale counselling (age 18 and up)
Hulitan Family & Community Services Society
250.384.9466
902A Caledonia Ave., Victoria
- Counseling for children ages 6 – 12, Parent supports/programs
250.885.0275
- Child/youth/adult/family counselling and groups for Indigenous families
250.385.1114
602 Gorge Rd., Victoria
- Counselling and practical support for single parents
Victoria Child Abuse Prevention & Counselling Society (formerly Mary Manning Centre)
250.385.6111
101-1208 Wharf Street, Victoria BC V8W 3B9
- Child abuse prevention and counselling
Justice Supports
- Legal Services Society specialized services for Indigenous people on and off reserve, for both family and criminal matters. Includes information on First Nations courts
- “Every year, over 50,000 British Columbians call us for legal help. The support we receive from volunteer lawyers, administrative volunteers, funders, sponsors and individual donors allows us to provide critical legal services to individuals and families of limited means, and the non-profit organizations who serve them.
Government of Canada Family Law Information and Resources
- Information on divorce and separation, custody and parenting, child support and spousal support, enforcing support and resolving enforcement issues.
- Tools to help you locate family services near you, calculate child support amounts and developing parenting plans
Human Trafficking Hotline
833.900.1010
- Hotline for assistance to victims/survivors of forced prostitution or if you believe someone else might be.
Legal Services Society
1.866.577.2525
- Provides legal aid services
Peoples Law School
250.331.5400
- Provides free legal education and information to help people in BC resolve everyday legal matters. Online service available 331.5400
Restorative Justice Victoria
250.383.5801
1929Lee Ave., Victoria
- Receives referrals from local police, BC Crown Counsel, judges, probation, ICBC, schools and members of the community to address the harms resulting from crime and violence. Restorative justice can be used as a diversion from, or in conjunction with, the traditional justice system
Saanich Peninsula Restorative Justice
250.652.5274
- Receives referrals from local police, RCMP, schools and other community organizations to provide a restorative process as an alternative to the traditional justice system
TAPS (Together Against Poverty Society)
250.361.3521
828 View St., Victoria
- Provides face-to-face legal advocacy for people with income assistance, disability benefits, employment standards and tenancy issues
The Law Centre, University of Victoria
250.385.1221
- Provides advice, assistance and representation to clients who cannot afford a lawyer
Restorative Justice Victoria
Restorative Justice Victoria
- Resources
- 2020 Restorative Justice Basic Resource Kit
- What Is Restorative Justice?
- Annual Report 2022
www.rjvictoria.com
250.383.5801
1929Lee Ave., Victoria
- Receives referrals from local police, BC Crown Counsel, judges, probation, ICBC, schools and members of the community to address the harms resulting from crime and violence. Restorative justice can be used as a diversion from, or in conjunction with, the traditional justice system
Housing
Threshold Housing
www.thresholdhousing.ca
250.383.8830
- Serves at-risk youth experiencing homelessness, aging out of care or fleeing violence
Youthspace
www.youthspace.ca
- Provides assistance to youth under 25 experiencing homelessness
Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness
www.victoriahomelessness.ca
- Provides up-to-date information home on the various homeless-serving resources available in the CRD. Includes resource materials to assist teachers, counsellors and other youth services workers to help identify youth at risk of homelessness
Advocacy
All Party Parliamentary Group to End Modern Slavery
- The End Modern Slavery Group is dedicated to ending modern slavery through the Government of Canada. Members seek to improve policy and legislation, increase information on modern slavery to Parliamentarians, promote long-term approaches to the prevention of slavery, and engage with like-minded bodies to eradicate slavery.
First Call BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition
firstcallbc.org
- Advance the interests of children and youth through public education, community mobilization and public policy advocacy
BC School Centred Mental Health Coalition
bcscmhcoalition.ca
- Exists to advance the concept of “school connectedness” and the body of research and strategies that support the concept
Office of the Representative for Children and Youth
www.rcybc.ca
- Serves children, youth and families who need help dealing with the child-serving system
Disability Resource Centre
drcvictoria.com
- Works closely with people who have a disability and with other community organizations to find and remove barriers that prevent full participation in life
Student, Adult Public and Professional Workshops and Training
Children of the Street Society
www.childrenofthestreet.com
- TCO2 Program (Taking Care of Ourselves, Taking Care of Others), a unique and empowering workshop designed and delivered by youth, for youth about preventing sexual exploitation. VFCYJC partners in the delivery of these workshops to schools in the Greater Victoria area.
Indigenous Perspectives Society
ipsociety.ca
- Offerings include Cultural Perspectives Training and Gladue Report Writing
Indigenous Corporate Training Inc.
www.ictinc.ca
- Offerings include Indigenous Awareness, Indigenous Relations and Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples®
Crisis and Trauma Resources Institute – Canada
ca.ctrinstitute.com
- Training and resources for mental health, counselling skills and violence prevention
Self Help Mental Health Apps
Booster Buddy (Island Health) FREE
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.viha.boosterbuddy&hl=en_CA
MindShift CBT (Anxiety Disorders Association of BC) FREE
https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/mindshift-cbt-anxiety-canada/id634684825
Pathways Community Services Directory - South Island
Definitive service listings
External Documents
Legislation - Federal and Provincial
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Safe Streets and Communities Act
Youth Justice Act website (Justice Education Society, Vancouver)
- Legal Rights of Youth Overview
- Extrajudicial Measures Overview
- Sentencing Overview
- Youth Records Overview
Family Violence Laws (Justice Canada)
Intro to the Courts of BC (Justice Education Society)
Youth Crime - Statistics, Trends, Background
Statistics
Youth Justice: Case Data and Trends (Province of British Columbia)
Youth Courts Database (Statistics Canada)
Crime and Justice Database (Statistics Canada)
Court Statistics: Interactive Dashboard (Statistics Canada)
Key Indicator Results: Adult Criminal Court and Youth Court (Government of Canada, Fall 2024)
Adult and youth court statistics in Canada, 2016/2017
Youth Criminal Justice in Canada: A compendium of statistics (Department of Justice, 2016)
Related documents
Time Out II: A Profile of BC Youth In Custody (McCreary Centre Society, 2005)
Evaluation of the Youth Justice Initiative (Department of Justice, Ottawa, 2017)
Youth and Crime Fact Sheet (John Howard Society of British Columbia, 2013)
Submission: An Act to Amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act Bill C-4 (Representative for Children and Youth, 2010)
Comprehensive review of the Young Offenders Act (Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, Ottawa, 1997)
Strategic Plan for the Justice and Public Safety Sector 2020-23 (Justice and Public Safety Council of BC, 2020)
BC Children and Youth
Office of the Representative for Children and Youth (RCYBC)
- Annual Report 2023/24 and Service Plan 2024/25 to 2026/27
- Annual Report 2020/21 and Service Plan 2021/22 to 2023/24
– Reports and Publications Archive
BC Child Poverty Report Card 2024 (First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Society)
Recommendations from the Young Persons’ Parliament, 2023-24 (Children First Canada)
Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking
Human Trafficking Prevention Network of British Columbia (founded 2024)
Be Amazing! Campaign (Cathy Peters) + Resources
Human Trafficking in BC (Province of BC)
BC Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons – Publications & Resources
Human Trafficking: Recognizing and Reporting (RCMP)
Anti-Human Trafficking Toolkit (Covenant House, Vancouver)
Online Child Sexual Exploitation (Public Safety Canada, 2024) + support resources
Statistical Profile 2014-22 (Statistics Canada)
Online Dangers Infographic (Government of Canada, 2024)
Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (UN Office On Drugs and Crime)
Actions to Prevent Online Child Sexual Exploitation (Public Safety Canada)
Federal Bill M-47 – Violent and Sexual Online Material (2016)
2014 – To VFCYJC-C R E D Report for CRD Police Chiefs 15-5-14
2016 – FCYJC-priority shaded-Truth and Reconciliation FCYJC Table
2016 – VFCYJC – Rep Final Report – Discussion Nov 16 2
2019 Historical Fact Sheet for VFCYJC
Gangs
Guns and Gangs Final Report 2024 (Public Safety Canada)
Youth Gangs In Canada: What Do We Know? (Public Safety Canada)
Safer Schools Together Outline of Services (Gang Reduction Through Informed Practice program)
Traits of Gang Members (Edmonton Police Service)
The Nature of Canadian Urban Gangs and their use of Firearms: A Review of the Literature and Police Survey (Department of Justice Canada)
Greater Victoria
Project Halo | First Arrest Made In Covert Operation Highlights Prevalence Of Gangs Targeting Youth (Victoria Police Department, March 4, 2024)
Saanich police stats show gang activity linked to schools (Times Colonist, Dec. 12, 2024)
Gangland: How Victoria works against local gang culture (Marlet, University of Victoria, Nov. 19, 2015)
Public Health Issues
Island Health: Healthy Schools Program
BC Children’s Hospital – Kelty Mental Health Centre
- Substance Use and Youth
- Concurrent Disorders
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- Cannabis
- Opioids
- Alcohol
- Keeping Tech In Check
- Eating Well
- Managing Stress
Mental Illnesses In Children and Youth (Canadian Mental Health Association BC)
2023 Raising Canada Mental Health Report (Children First Canada)
Report on the Public Health Effects of the Ease of Access and Viewing of Online Violent and Degrading Sexually Explicit Material on Children, Women and Men
(House of Commons, June 2017)
Domestic Violence
Ending Violence Association of BC – 2023/2024 Annual Report + Resource Centre
Family Violence: Relevance in family law + Family Violence home page (Justice Canada)
Child Abuse and Neglect (HealthLink BC)
Sexual Assault
Help Starts Here: Information on Sexual Assault (BC Ministry of Justice)
Sexual Assault: Just Facts (Department of Justice, Canada)
Youth Dating Violence (Government of BC)
Organizations Who Help Victims of Sexual Assault (BC Human Rights Tribunal)
Civil Remedies for Sexual Assault (British Columbia Law Institute)
Restorative Justice
Restorative Justice – Research in Brief (Department of Justice, Canada)
Restorative Justice: Preventing Crime, Building Safe Communities (BC Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor General, 2014)
Memo On The Effectiveness and Outcomes of Restorative Justice in British Columbia (Chilliwack RJ and Youth Advocacy Association at Peter A. Allard School of Law)
Restorative Justice and Gender-Based Violence in BC: Revisiting the Conversation (Ending Violence Association of BC, 2021)
Public Perceptions of Restorative Justice In Canada (Government of Canada, 2024)
Restorative Justice is Alive and Well in Haida Gawaii (Provincial Court of British Columbia, 2023)
Justice Reform in BC
Justice Reform Initiatives (Province of BC, regularly updated)
BC Justice Reform Summits (Justice BC annual events)
BC First Nations Justice Strategy, a roadmap to transforming the justice system (BC First Nations Justice Council)
A Criminal Justice System for the 21st Century – Geoffrey Cowper QC, Chair, BC Justice Reform Initiative (2012)
- White Paper on Justice Reform: Part One – A Modern, Transparent Justice System (2012)
- White Paper on Justice Reform: Part Two – A Timely, Balanced Justice System (2013)
- A Criminal Justice System for the 21st Century: Fourth Anniversary Update to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General (2016)
Modernizing British Columbia’s Justice System (BC Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, 2013)
Roads to Revival: An External Review of Legal Aid Service Delivery in British Columbia (2019)
Foster Care and Child Protection
Foster Caregiving and Kinship Care (Province of BC)
Becoming A Foster Parent (BC Foster Parents Association)
Standards for Foster Homes (Ministry of Children and Family Development, 1999)
Child Protection Reports (Province of BC)
Adoption Statistics for British Columbia (Belonging Network, updated annually)
Legislation
Mobile Youth Services Team
MYST is one of the 12 services delivered by Greater Victoria Integrated Police Units as per page 9 of this annual report
Policy Report: MYST Critical Status Report and Recommendations (Dr. Rebeccah Nelems, Sept. 2024)
Mobile Youth Services Team (MYST) – Mia Golden & Cst. Gord Magee (TrueBlue Podcast, 2024)
CBC The Fifth Estate episode featuring Mia Golden and Gord Magee (March 3, 2023)
Crime Reduction & Exploitation Diversion (CRED) (Pacific Centre Family Services Association)
Special Report to the CRD Chiefs of Police (Dr. Rebeccah Nelems, May 2014)
The Mobile Youth Service Team (MYST) was created in 2001 to address sexually exploited youth in the CRD. MYST is enabled by area police departments that support a plainclothes police officer position that deals with high-risk youth from ages 13 to 18.
The primary responsibilities of the MYST officer are:
- Designing and delivering educational presentations to the youth and the community on sexual exploitation and drug awareness.
- Gathering of criminal intelligence on the activities of the child sex workers and the pimps who exploit children.
- Criminal enforcement – targeting pimps, “johns,” and recruiters.
- Working closely with the Youth Empowerment Society, Youth Probation, street-level outreach workers, school counselors, the Boys and Girls Club and many other youth organizations in the community.
- Supporting youth at risk and their families.
- Monitoring youth court when possible, as well as assisting at-risk youth through the court process.
Other youth-serving intervention teams …
Integrated Mobile Crisis Response Team (IMCRT) Island Health
School Police Liaison Officer Program
VFCYJC School Police Liaison Officer Program Backgrounder Ver. 9 (Updated Feb. 6, 2025)
Assessing the Effectiveness and Efficiency of School Liaison Officers in British Columbia: A Qualitative Study (Centre for Public Safety and Criminal Justice Research, 2021)
The State of School Liaison Programs in Canada (Dr. Kanika Samuels-Wortley, 2021, commissioned by the BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner)
Policing In Schools Project (BC Teachers Federation, Dec. 2022)
The Need for SLOs in Our Schools (Vancouver Police Department, 2020)
VFCYJC Fact Sheet (2019)
Greater Victoria Police Services
Integrated Police Units – 2023:24 Annual Report
- Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team
- Greater Victoria Public Safety Unit
- Integrated Mobile Crisis Response Team
- Integrated Canine Service
- Mobile Youth Services Team
- Regional Domestic Violence Unit
- Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers
- Greater Victoria Police Diversity Advisory Committee
- Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit
- Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit
- Capital Regional District Integrated Road Safety Unit
- Integrated National Security Enforcement Team
Victoria Police
Saanich Police
Central Saanich Police
Oak Bay Police
Sidney/North Saanich RCMP
Sooke RCMP
Westshore RCMP
Note:
This list is a living document. For errors and additions, please contact vfamcourt@gmail.com
Territorial Acknowledgement
The Victoria Family Court and Youth Justice Committee meets on the unceded Coast Salish Territory of the Lekwungen-speaking and WSÁNEĆ nations. We acknowledge and thank the Lekwungen-speaking peoples, also known as the Songhees, Esquimalt and Beecher Bay First Nations communities for allowing us to live on their lands.
The VFCYJC further acknowledges that the capital region spans the Traditional Territories of Coast and Straits Salish and Nuu-chah-nulth peoples and that, by virtue of being represented by all 13 municipalities, our committee is responsible to help build respectful and enduring relationships with our First Nations neighbours.
Important Links
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