Since June 2025, the Ontario Intensive Treatment Pathway (OITP) has been working with BoardWalk Group consultants to engage the child and youth mental health sector in developing clinical models and standards for live-in treatment. The goal of this work is to establish a consistent, evidence-informed framework to guide the delivery of high-quality intensive treatment for children and youth experiencing significant mental health challenges across Ontario.
The development process has been extensive and collaborative. Over the course of the project, the team conducted 64 knowledge holder engagements involving more than 130 organizations and 170 participants from across the province. This included 17 site visits, 26 interviews and focus groups, two province-wide surveys (with 81 respondents), five Knowledge Institute consultations, three co-design workshops, and ongoing advisory committee meetings. Engagements spanned all regions of Ontario and included Francophone and Indigenous organizations, frontline staff, organizational leaders, government and policy representatives, researchers, and individuals with lived experience.
The input gathered through these engagements has directly shaped the draft clinical model and standards, which are now ready for broader review.
What is in the Clinical Model and Standards
The documents define what children, youth, and families can expect from intensive live-in treatment services within the OITP across Ontario, and how the child and youth mental health sector can deliver safe, effective, equitable, and accountable care. With details related to OITP Hubs, Regional Intensive Treatment Networks (RITNs), and the provincial system overall, they outline:
- Clinical Standards — expectations for clinical practice, therapeutic interventions, and treatment approaches, including child and youth-centred care, equity and cultural safety, screening and assessment, family and caregiver engagement, treatment planning, and transition and aftercare.
- Operational Standards — expectations for workforce composition and management, organizational infrastructure, quality assurance, data and performance measurement, and system-level functions needed to support high-quality clinical treatment.
The draft clinical model and standards were available for public input over a three-week period and that feedback will be considered for incorporation into the documents. The final documents will be approved in summer 2026.
Looking Ahead
We recognize that transforming child and youth mental health service delivery in Ontario will not happen overnight. The clinical model and standards represent one step on a complex and iterative path. They are intended to be transformational—not simply a refinement of current practice, but a framework that helps the sector better serve populations that are not being well served today. As the OITP is operationalized, ongoing sector feedback will continue to refine and strengthen the standards over time.
Thank you for your continued partnership in this important work. We appreciate everyone who provided input to ensure that the final standards are clear for providers, lead to more seamless pathways for clients, and reflect a shared vision for the future of intensive live-in treatment in Ontario.
