The Government of New Brunswick has developed a child and youth-centred Integrated Services Delivery (ISD) approach to improve services and programs for children and youth up to the age of 21. Services are available in schools and other community settings and are provided in places that are comfortable for children, youth and families. Requests for these services can be made by youth, families, schools and service providers from the community.
Services are provided by ISD Child and Youth (CY) teams. The oversight for the CY teams is provided by four Ministries – Health, Justice, Social Development and Education. These teams are made up of caring professionals with training in counselling, social work, occupational therapy, psychology, education, nursing, mental health and addictions. They specialize in working with children, youth and their families, and offer a variety of services.
CY team members work with community organizations and individuals committed to making a positive difference in the lives of children, youth and families. This may include partnerships with government departments, police services, non-governmental agencies, community groups and early childhood service providers. In schools, CY team members work closely with school-based Educational Support Services teams to provide entry points for accessing ISD services.
ISD has led to a number of improvements in service delivery and outcomes for children and youth. These include improved coordination and integration of services, improved health of children and youth, high satisfaction with services, and drastic decreases or elimination of wait times for service.