Referrals

Hear me, Understand me, Support me: What young women want you to know about depression

In this section:

• Referrals
• Telephone Support
• CAMH Resources
• Other Print Resources

This section offers resources and information in addition to those listed in the “Support Me” sections in this guide. We encourage you to complement these with your own personal list, which would include both prevention and therapeutic resources in your community. Developing relationships with other services will ease the referral process for young women.

Referrals

Remember that asking for help can be scary and overwhelming. If you have to refer a young woman to another service, do this with respect and sensitivity. Here’s what the young women had to say about it:

• Think “outside the box.” Help young women to become aware of and access alternative therapies like art therapy, yoga, journaling, dance, drama, music, meditation and other physical activities.
• Young women don’t want to have to tell their story over and over again. When making a referral, contact the agency or service to find out exactly what they do and if there is a waiting list. It helps to get a contact name and extension number so the young woman will be able to quickly make contact with the appropriate person.
• Try to cultivate relationships with services in your community so you can have a personal list of resources. These resources could include counselling services, youth agencies, drop-in centres, recreation centres and programs such as Girls Talk groups (see Reframing Prevention "Support Me" for more information).
• The young woman will need coping strategies between appointments. A coping plan might include crisis numbers and names of people she can call on for support. Find out what has worked for her in the past (e.g., journaling, exercise, listening to music, going for a walk, meditating, talking to girlfriends), and explore with her whether any of these or other strategies could be useful in the current situation.

Referral sources could include:

Community Centres: See if there are programs specifically designed for young women. If not, this may be an opportunity to start a Girls Talk program.

Drop-ins: These may be located in community centres, schools, churches or youth agencies.

Schools: Contact local schools to find out about after-school activities and clubs. This is another opportunity to introduce the idea of girls’ circles.

Counselling Services: These may be available through a number of different channels in your community:

• family physicians
• family counselling agencies (e.g., Family Service Association)
• youth-serving agencies
• community mental health centres
• hospital outpatient mental health clinics
• community health centres
• schools (usually through the guidance department)
• colleges and universities (most offer counselling through their student services department; accommodations can be made to support the student - e.g., reduced course load, extended time for writing exams).

Concurrent issues, such as substance use problems, eating disorders and trauma, could also be addressed through specific counselling agencies. Support groups such as Al-Anon, Alateen, or Women for Sobriety may also suggest information to provide to young women.

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