About us
We are a provincial organization dedicated to strengthening Ontario’s mental health, substance use health and addictions services for children, young people, and their families.
About us
Who we are
We’re proud to be a multidisciplinary team with diverse experiences, perspectives and strengths, united by a shared commitment to improving care and outcomes for children, young people, and families.
What we do
We work alongside partners across the sector to support more connected, consistent, and responsive child and youth mental health, substance use health and addictions services.
Our work focuses on areas where evidence-informed action, collaboration, and shared learning can help improve experiences and outcomes.
Our story
We opened our doors in 2004 as the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health. Inspired by the vision of our founders, Simon Davidson and Ian Manion, our goal was to coordinate and strengthen mental health services for Ontario’s children and young people, bringing a unified purpose to the province.
We took on a new identity as the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions in 2021 to reflect our evolving role in the sector and our growing work in complex mental health needs, including the overlap between mental health and substance use health.
Through each phase of our journey, we’ve built strong partnerships and adapted to the sector’s needs while staying true to our founding purpose.
Today, we continue to work alongside partners across Ontario to strengthen community-based supports and improve outcomes for children, young people, and families.
Strategic plan
Our 2024–27 strategic plan sets the roadmap for our next phase of work. It was developed in consultation with nearly 250 partners, including our advisory councils and staff.
The plan guides how we focus our efforts, measure progress, and enhance care across the province.