The Windsor Regional Children’s Centre falls under the umbrella of the Windsor Regional Hospital, and has a mandate to provide mental health services to emotionally, behaviourally and socially troubled children/youth ages 6 through 18, and to their parents/families. The Centre offers programs and services delivered by interdisciplinary teams that provide specific goal-oriented programs including in-school, in-home and on site services. In conjunction with using the “traditional” methods of treatment (i.e. family therapy; individual, parental and group therapy; psychiatric and psychological assessments, etc.), the Windsor Regional Children’s Centre established the Healing Arts Program.

The Healing Arts Program makes use of music, art (drawing and painting), drama, dance and creative movement and reflects a partnership between mental health services for children and youth and the Windsor area arts community. In 2005 the Centre conducted a Research Study for the Ministry of Culture via Children’s Mental Health Ontario. The project demonstrated the effectiveness of children’s mental health intervention that made use of the arts (music, painting, and dance). It concluded that the arts did have a positive impact on children who were in treatment. The study demonstrated that the art classes had a significant positive impact on children’s therapeutic well-being.

To run such a program the Healing Arts Program needs to raise funds in order to be able to offer art classes to the children. Should you be interested in donating to our program please call Lindy LeDuc-Wilson, Coordinator of the program at 519-257-5288, Ext.74046. Thank you for your support such a creative program!