Elizabeth House is a private rehabilitation centre, funded by the Ministry of Health and Social Services, providing a continuum of second line treatment services, both residential and external, to young parents. Programs include residential services for up to 18 clients, (usually 9 mothers and 9 babies); a Day Centre, comprising a Youth Sector school from the EMSB and groups facilitated by educators for young mothers and pregnant teens; a Nursery Program, which can hold up to 12 infants under the age of 1 year and a Family Assistance program, whereby families with young children are worked with in the community on an external basis. A program of supervised apartments is in the planning stages.

Elizabeth House strives to provide a comfortable, caring, age-appropriate environment, and a range of services, which assist clients to develop socially and emotionally, and to adopt a healthy lifestyle. The involvement of family members is encouraged and facilitated.

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

Elizabeth House can accommodate eighteen clients (mothers and their babies are considered separate clients) as residents while they participate in the following programs:

• Prenatal Program: individual counseling, nutritional guidance, prenatal classes, group meetings, work on realizing individual service plans;

• Mother and Baby Program: special interventions and classes to help mothers build the knowledge and skills necessary for responding to the needs of their children, plus work on realizing individual service plans;

• Supervised Apartment Program: a semi-supervised longer term living situation that permits clients to live in a more normalized environment than an institutional setting and whereby they can develop independent living skills within a structured program;

• Cooking Program: menu planning based on budgetary and nutritional needs, cooking instruction, and hands-on application of learning.

EXTERNAL SERVICES

Counseling, information and referral services are provided to young parents who live independently or with their parents in the community.

• Day Centre Program: Both external and residential clients may attend the Day Centre Program, which includes:

• Elizabeth High School: individualized instruction in a wide range of secondary I-V subjects and job training projects;

• Nursery: instruction in baby/child care development – limited space available. Nursery services are available during classes and group sessions for the clients of Elizabeth House;
• Breakfast program: ensures at least one nutritious meal each day, improving the student’s ability to concentrate.

• Family Assistance Program: Counseling and support services offered to young parents living in the community in linking up with and in maintaining contact with appropriate services in the community.

• Transition Apartment (PATH): interim step between the residential program and independent living, allowing young mothers to test skills acquired. Staff provides support and advice without assuming a supervisory role.

• Summer Program: a 6-week program of fun activities and structured programming designed to provide learning opportunities and decrease social isolation for young parents and parents-to-be during a time when many other programs have taken a temporary break.

• Dads Program: groups and individual counseling dealing with fathering issues and related topics.

SPECIALIZED REHABILITATION SERVICES

• Groups: specialized courses and group discussions dealing with lifeskills, self-esteem, relationships, sexuality, budgeting, parenting, baby/child development, etc.

• Creative Arts Therapy: Elizabeth House employs the services of a creative art therapist who provides individual therapy to a limited number of clients based on specific, identified needs.

• Counseling is an integral component of all Elizabeth House programs, provided by the educators as well as by the social workers and other professionals who work with us. The goals of the counseling process are related to specific objectives of the intervention plans within which the counseling occurs.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

• Parental Capacity Assessment: upon request, trained educators are available to do parental capacity assessments, based on the Toronto Parenting Capacity Assessment Project / Steinhauer model. These assessments may take place in both the residential and external programs.
• Consultation staff are available to outside agencies for consultation on parenting issues in relation to young families.