WHERE OUR COMMUNITY FEELS SUPPORTED

The New Canaan YMCA is committed to supporting its community’s mental and physical health. Learn more about available health and well-being resources from the Y’s community partners and organizations across the country.

Mental Wellness is an integral aspect to overall community health. New Canaan Behavioral Health Alliance (NCBHA) encourages, develops, and supports a greater community awareness of behavioral health issues and resources in our area. Through community partnering, the alliance’s mission is to improve access to behavioral health care for New Canaan residents seeking help.

It can be difficult and overwhelming to find the right behavioral health support for a friend, family member, or yourself.  Over 30 local organizations have come together to make it easier to access behavioral health information and resources for New Canaan residents.  Talk to an expert that can help navigate available resources, or check out what’s going on in our community.

The Town of New Canaan has partnered with Silver Hill Hospital to provide New Canaan residents in urgent need of mental health treatment with a timely psychiatric assessment and tailored referral for ongoing care.

The New Canaan Urgent Assessment (NCUA) Program serves children, adolescents, and adults who are New Canaan residents at no out-of-pocket cost.  The Assessment Program is available by advance appointment only, and every effort will be made to offer an assessment appointment within 48 hours of an intake call.

The program is available to non-New Canaan residents and will be subject to the individual’s plan coverage benefits, which may include out-of-pocket expenses such as deductibles and copays.

Come together at the Y! At the New Canaan YMCA, we strive to offer opportunities for individuals and communities to engage in physical activity and increase social connection that will combat loneliness and contribute to the overall physical and mental wellness of our community.

Join a Group Fitness Class

Group fitness is a social activity, and making connections with others who share similar fitness goals can help you to combat feelings of isolation. Explore the wide variety of group fitness classes offered at the New Canaan YMCA. From high-energy cardio and strength classes to more relaxed classes like yoga and Pilates, there’s something for everyone regardless of fitness level or preference.

Attend Social Events

Participate in social events such as our ForeverWell luncheons, or Family Events. Attend these gatherings to socialize and build relationships with fellow community members.

Use the Y Common Areas

Sometimes just getting out among other people helps to get your mind off of negative thoughts associated with loneliness. Dante’s Cafe is a great place to spend some time among others or invite someone for a cup of coffee and a snack!

Participate in Sports

Participating in or learning a sport can be a fun way to bond with others and form friendships. Adults can participate in Pickleball, Volleyball, or Basketball open play and have some fun while enjoying the game with others. Youth can join an Aquatics team or participate in Basketball League or open gym time as a great way to meet new people.

Join a Club

Joining a club is a great way for you to engage with others who share your hobbies or learn a new hobby that you have always wanted to try. The New Canaan Y offers a Knitting club, Book club, and a Running club. Do you have a club idea or special interest you want to share with others? Let us know, we would love to explore more club opportunities for all!

Create a Regular Workout Routine

Use the Y regularly for exercise and you will start to see familiar faces and have opportunities to strike up conversations with other members. A great place to start is with the staff, we are here to help you to connect and meet others!

Sign Up for a Class or Program

Enroll in a program to learn something new and meet others. Try Swim Lessons, Camp, Small Group Training, Master’s Swim, Sports Classes, and even Ballroom Dancing! Sign your little ones up for classes like Bouncing Bears or programs like Adventure Guides to meet other parents with children the same age. There is something for everyone!

Volunteer

Volunteering is a rewarding way to meet people, contribute to your community, feel more connected, and help yourself by helping others. Consider volunteering at the Y in a program or area you may have an interest in or a skill to share!

Five Days of Action^® is an annual, week-long campaign designed to raise awareness and inspire adults to take action to protect children from sexual abuse.

Know the Facts

When evaluating camps, sports, and other activities for your child, do you KNOW what questions to ask about abuse prevention? As parents, caregivers, and trusted adults, we play a vital role in protecting children and teens from abuse. Learn the key questions to ask from Praesidium, the YMCA’s partner in child abuse prevention: praesidiuminc.com/6-key-questions-a-parent-should-ask-of-an-organization.

See the Signs

When we SEE grooming patterns—methodical, subtle, gradual, and escalating behaviors used to groom a child for sexual abuse—we can identify them, strengthen our intuition, and protect children. Learn the 6 grooming behaviors every parent or caregiver needs to know and what to do if you see them, from our partner, Saprea: saprea.org/blog/6-perpetrator-grooming-behaviors.

Respond & Teach

Responding starts when a child or teen feels heard and is helped. How can you take action to prevent child sexual abuse? The Trusted Triangle (for younger children) and the Safety NETwork (for older youth) are strategies from Lauren’s Kids Safer, Smarter Families Family Safety Toolkit. These resources are designed to help families and caregivers teach personal and digital safety in a comfortable and accessible way.

Grades K-2: safersmarterfamilies.org/grades-k-2

Grades 3-5: safersmarterfamilies.org/grades-3-5

Get Connected & Informed

After learning the importance of Know. See. Respond. we learned practical tools for preventing child sexual abuse—but our work is never done. The New Canaan YMCA is committed to year-round prevention, and we hope you are, too! Stay connected and informed by visiting fivedaysofaction.org

Pledge to Protect

Thank you for following along this week as we worked to build awareness of child sexual abuse and how all adults can prevent it.

As you know, the New Canaan YMCA has a long commitment to ensuring the children and youth we serve are safe and protected from abuse. As part of this commitment, and in addition to our existing trainings and policies, we are excited to announce that we are pursuing Praesidium Accreditation. Praesidium is a leader in abuse risk management and, for more than 30 years, has worked globally with thousands of organizations across industries to help them assess, prevent, and respond to sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults.

We pledge to protect the children we serve, and we hope you will too! Head over to fivedaysofaction.org to sign the pledge & learn more!