Covenant House Vancouver

Participants sleep out to raise awareness of and show solidarity with youth who are experiencing homelessness. Sleep Out: Champions Edition raises funds for our vital mental health programming.

About our Mental Health Programming

The youth who come to Covenant House Vancouver face many obstacles to achieve independence. Many have experienced physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse, often at the hands of adults responsible for taking care of them. This often leads to youth struggling with mental illness, which can lead to devastating impacts if left untreated.

In addition, many young people also struggle with addiction and substance abuse as they rely on drugs and alcohol to "numb" their traumas.

Covenant House Vancouver offers youth an opportunity to address their counselling and psychiatric needs. Our Registered Clinical Counsellors work from an attachment theory lens which recognizes that a safe and trusting relationship is a basic human need much like the food, clothing, and shelter we provide.

In Action

When it becomes apparent that a youth is struggling with a mental health concern or addiction, a Social Worker on our Case Management Team refers them to one of our in-house Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC). The youth and their dedicated RCC will work together to determine what supports the youth requires.

Treatment plans may involve one-to-one counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Art Therapy, a referral to a psychiatrist, a referral to a treatment centre, or a combination of services. Covenant House Vancouver has a strong partnership with The Foundry, and their team of psychiatrists work closely with our Registered Clinical Counsellors to provide youth with the most effective care possible.

We believe that providing services to aid with these concurrent disorders due to past traumas to clients while they are young is key to preventing lifelong homelessness and for effectively managing symptoms as an adult.