Banyan’s vision is to be “a transformational partner in the journey to build safe, inclusive and barrier free communities”. One of Banyan’s greatest strengths for achieving this is to challenge teams and individuals to be innovative and rethink approaches, to stretch beyond for the better good of those served. 2024-25 was no exception to this mindset. Here are just a few of the areas we are proud of achieving:

Experiencing first-hand the province’s growing concern to monitor the utilization of custody and detention systems to maintain appropriate capacity and response to changing needs within the youth justice system, Banyan submitted a business case to Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) to increase the licensed bed capacity at Arrell Youth Centre (AYC) and Peninsula Youth Centre (PYC).

On September 5, 2024 Banyan announced that, with the help of MCCSS, Banyan expanded their secure custody and detention program.

Banyan’s youth justice Reintegration Services assists youth who are referred by Probation Services. Our workers help youth transition to the community. Find out how Banyan’s Reintegration Services help youth achieve their goals.

Banyan’s Primary Care Team – comprised of Psychiatrist, Facility physicians, Social Workers and Nursing – support out-of-home youth on site while managing complex medical and mental health issues which in the past would have led to visits in community hospital emergency departments.

During 2024-25, the Primary Care Team model grew to include 10 social service workers, 2 Registered Nurse Practitioners, 2 physicians, and 1 psychiatrist who support not only out-of-home Youth Justice programs, but also other Banyan programs such as Partner Assault Response (PAR), Parent and Adolescent Conflict Program (PAC), Young Parent Program, as well as our children services program client and families.

At a February 2025 meeting with the Senior Management Team MCCSS noted Banyan as having:

• the most responsive Medical and Clinical support to youth with acute mental health concerns.
• excellent planning for youth released or transferred on a suicide watch.

In January 2024, MCCSS approved Banyan’s proposal to modernize delivery of the Young Parent Program by offering a HUB model approach which better meets the needs of today’s young parents.

During 2024-25 Banyan made the following strides to meet the needs of those served:

• Enhanced YPP weekly programming to include Parenting with Love and Subsidy, a Housing Program, the Cooking Club, Triple P Parenting Program, and Wellness Wednesday’s.  We were also excited to host a tax clinic for our young parents to ensure that they are accessing available financial supports in the community, as well as teaching financial literacy and responsibility.  If that wasn’t enough growth, the YPP team identified the need and implemented an Infant and Toddler First AID/CPR certification for the young parents!
• Utilizing the Primary Care Team expertise, an onsite nurse and clinician began supporting the Young Parent Program providing access to a child and adolescent psychiatrist and seamless access to continuity of care with a trauma informed, strength-based case management approach to support areas of identified Trauma, Post-Partum depression, Mental Health and Substance Issues. Banyan’s nursing team also monitors early childhood development with the children to identify any developmental concerns to support timely referrals to medical and community partners.