A first of its kind "report card" issued by Children's Mental Health Ontario finds many youth in need of urgent care are waiting far too long for treatment.
The report looks at 88 mental health centres, including St. Clair Child and Youth, that serve more than 100,000 youngsters across the province.
It claims over 6,000 youth seeking mental health therapy and counselling are waiting over a year for treatment.
St. Clair Child and Youth Executive Director Rick Shields says the numbers are on par with what he's seeing locally. The demand is expected to double by 2016.
Shields says more provincial funding and resources are needed in order to reduce treatment wait times.
He says he's pleased to see a report on the issue and is hopeful it will be beneficial for agencies like St. Clair Child and Youth.