MENTAL-HEALTH NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH LEARNING-DISABILITIES - OVERVIEW OF A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

The purpose of the present report is to describe a community needs ass essment that puts the process and choice of a suitable approach into a context. The study examined the mental health needs of children and y outh with learning disabilities and their families and how they fit wi thin the continuum of services in Metropolitan Toronto. A series of re commendations was developed for the Ministry of Community and Social S ervices. The recommendations emphasize: prevention, training and consu ltation, and research. The study illustrates the importance of involvi ng relevant constituencies in both the planning of a needs assessment and the formulation and implementation of recommendations based on the investigation.