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Psychiatry
The Department of Psychiatry at SickKids is made up of clinicians, educators and researchers dedicated to providing exemplary psychiatric care to children and adolescents, using evidence-based and best clinical practices in mental health.
Programs, services & clinics
Assessments involve meetings with the child, adolescent, and caregivers, followed by recommendations for next steps, which may include local mental health services or short-term treatment within the Department of Psychiatry.
Typically, a child or adolescent and their caregivers attend an initial meeting.
Several people may be involved in this first appointment, including learners (e.g., medical students or residents). A typical assessment involves the clinician speaking with all who attend the appointment together. In addition, the clinician will speak with the child or adolescent on their own and will also speak with the parents or caregivers on their own.
The clinician will discuss their assessment and make recommendations regarding the next steps.
These recommendations may include connecting with local mental health services closer to home or may include attending some form of short-term treatment offered through our department. Treatment recommendations may include medication management and/or psychotherapy. Psychotherapy may take place individually, in a group, and/or in a day treatment program. If medication is recommended, our physicians may make recommendations to the referring physician; in other cases, short-term medication management or a course of short-term therapy may be offered within our department.
Have questions or concerns? Consultations are available with staff psychiatrists.
Consultations with staff psychiatrists are available for diagnostic clarification, medication-related concerns, or treatment recommendations, typically involving physicians or care teams.
Ambulatory Psychiatry Clinic
The clinic offers comprehensive psychiatric assessments, short-term treatment, and follow-up for children and adolescents with complex mental health needs, including treatment-resistant ADHD, anxiety disorders, selective mutism, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and depression. The clinic also supports the management of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents who also have significant physical health disorders, including somatic symptom and related disorders.
- Learn more about Psychiatry's specialty clinics All referrals must be made by a family physician or paediatrician through the Mental Health Access Program using EpicCare Link.
Day Hospital Program
This program provides intensive day-treatment for 13–17 years old adolescents with severe anxiety, mood disorders, and psychotic disorders, using a cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) approach. Patients typically attend the program for two to three months with the goal of having them transition back to school or other services.
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry
Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry provides comprehensive psychiatric assessment and integrated care for children and adolescents with complex physical health and mental health conditions across the hospital’s medical and surgical units.
They work with the hospital's inpatient units to support patient care for various psychiatric disorders. They provide assessment and treatment of functional disorders and somatization (physical expression of emotional distress), as well as support around difficulties patients may have with medical or surgical treatment, including management of delirium (severe confusion due to medical reasons).
The Consultation Liaison team provides education and support to staff across the hospital to enhance early recognition and identification of psychiatric concerns among physically ill children and adolescents and promotes early integrated care. The team works as part of the child’s health-care team and partners with medical and surgical teams with the goal of ensuring cohesive care from inpatient to outpatient at an individual level and hospital level.
Inpatient Psychiatry Program
The Inpatient Psychiatry Program is a short-stay unit for children and youth with mental health issues that require an admission to hospital for acute safety concerns. Admission to the unit is through the SickKids Emergency Department or medical and surgical units at SickKids, on a voluntary basis.
Patients are admitted for acute situations such as suicide attempts or for severe mental health symptoms such as psychosis. The focus of the unit is on assessment and stabilization of the mental health crisis and working with the child/adolescent and family on strategies to address safety concerns. This is a family-based program and has caregivers participating in regular therapeutic meetings with staff and the child/adolescent.
As the inpatient unit is a voluntary unit, children, adolescents and caregivers must agree to the admission. If a doctor determines that an admission is required for mental health reasons and the child or adolescent does not agree, they will be transferred to a youth psychiatry unit at a local hospital that accepts involuntary admissions.
SickKids is part of Thriving Minds, a collaboration between SickKids, CAMH and The Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health.
Explore mental health services, resources and referral information in the Thriving Minds Information Hub.
Key staff
The Department of Psychiatry staff are professionally trained clinical child and adolescent mental health care providers, educators and researchers who work closely with patients and their caregivers as well as other clinics within the hospital and the community.
Our goal is to destigmatize psychiatric care, promote holistic care and well-being, while working together with patients and their caregivers to ensure that we achieve the best mental health outcomes for them.
Division Head
Dr. Louise Gallagher, MB, BCh, MRCPsych, PhD
Chief, Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative
The Hospital for Sick Children, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Professor and Head of Division of Child and Youth Mental Health, University of Toronto
Patsy & Jamie Anderson Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health
Associate Psychiatrist-in-Chief
Dr. Suneeta Monga, MD, FRCPC
Associate Psychiatrist-in-Chief & Medical Director, Ambulatory Psychiatry
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Contact Psychiatry
Main phone: 416-813-7005
Please leave a message and our team will return your call during business hours.
If you have questions about an upcoming appointment, please reach out to the administrative assistant that contacted you about the appointment. If you do not recall that person’s name and contact information, contact reception.
If you are a physician looking to make a referral, visit Refer a Patient for more information.
Address
555 University Avenue,
Toronto, On M5G 1X8
Ambulatory Psychiatry
1st Floor – Burton Wing, Room 1115