Young people across Canada are struggling with their mental health and it's crucial that they have timely access to appropriate services and supports in the communities where they live. Long wait times and fragmented delivery of health services can be barriers to care - especially for young people. The Government of Canada is committed to growing and expanding Integrated Youth Services (IYS), so mental health care is more accessible to youth across the country.
Integrated Youth Services is a proven model of care that uses a "one stop shop" approach to connect individuals ages 12 to 25 to a wide variety of health and social services. Delivered through community-based hubs, IYS brings together mental health counselling, primary care, addiction services, sexual health resources, help with education, employment and training opportunities, and more to meet young people where they are at. These services can be accessed in-person or virtually, by dropping-in or making an appointment, free of charge and without needing a referral.
On December 6, the Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, launched two key initiatives that will help IYS hubs meet the needs of young people:
- The IYS Collaboration Centre will make it easier for provincial, territorial and Indigenous IYS networks to work together and coordinate efforts. Among its activities, the Centre will facilitate information sharing so that all IYS hubs can effectively apply best practices and innovative strategies to support diverse young people. There are approximately 105 IYS hubs across Canada and about 55 more in development.
- The IYS Data Platform will enable researchers, decision makers, service providers and others to access and share timely, accurate and comprehensive data sets with a focus on improving youth mental health and substance use health care across Canada.
Designed with and for young people, community-based care offered through IYS hubs can help reduce barriers to care, lessen the burden on emergency rooms and facilitate early intervention for mental health.
The initiatives announced are part of coordinated federal actions to create lasting and meaningful improvements in the mental health of youth and their families. This includes the first of its kind $500 million Youth Mental Health Fund, the single largest investment in youth mental health in Canadian history. The Youth Mental Health Fund will help community organizations, including Integrated Youth Services networks and hubs, expand the services they provide to young people and facilitate referrals to broader networks of mental health supports.
Quotes
"We know young people across Canada are struggling with their mental health and it's crucial that they have access to the services they need, when and where they need them. Integrated Youth Services hubs offer an array of free services and supports, both in-person and virtually to meet young people where they're at. The initiatives announced today will strengthen and support the expansion of this model of care across Canada, so that every young person has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. Together, we're helping make sure that younger generations across Canada are supported and equipped to cope and overcome challenges so that they can thrive."
The Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health
"Young people in Canada deserve to receive the best care available and to be supported in achieving their best outcomes. This can only happen if all parts of the system work together in partnership with young people to learn from one another and build innovative, effective solutions. The investments announced today are foundational to bringing this vision to life. They will support evidence generation and knowledge sharing and empower youth mental health partners, including youth, to harness the power of data."
Dr. Jo Henderson, Co-Lead, IYS Collaboration Centre, Executive Director of Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (YWHO), Director of Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health, Senior Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
"There is no better time to invest in the mental health and wellbeing of our young people than now. As members of the Integrated Youth Services community, we welcome this impactful investment in Canada that will see the establishment of an IYS Collaboration and Data Platform. By providing the knowledge, wisdom, tools and data needed for communities to transform access to quality health and social services for young people and their families, these investments herald a quantum leap in the implementation of IYS centres and hubs in our country."
Dr. Steve Mathias, Co-Lead, IYS Collaboration Centre, Co-Executive Director, Foundry BC, Clinical Assistant Professor at University of British Columbia
"The IYS Collaboration Centre and Data Platform are game changers for youth mental health in Canada. By enabling secure data sharing, and best practice exchange, these tools empower researchers and care providers to continually improve services building a learning health system as dynamic and diverse as the young people it serves."
Dr. Samuel Weiss, Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
Quick facts
- The IYS Collaboration Centre will prioritize the needs of young people facing structural and other barriers to mental health and well-being, including young Indigenous people, Black Canadians, newcomers and 2SLGBTQ+ youth.
- Health Canada is providing the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) with up to $15 million over five years to lead the administration of the IYS Collaboration Centre.
- The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is providing more than $17 million over four years to Dr. Jo Henderson, Executive Director of Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (YWHO) and Senior Scientist at CAMH, as well as to representatives from IYS networks, to support the development of the IYS Data Platform.
- The Youth Mental Health Fund aims to improve the mental health of youth and their families, and to enhance access to, and navigation of, mental health services with a particular focus on equity-deserving groups.
- As part of the Fund, Health Canada is seeking proposals for projects to support and build the capacity of community-based organizations that provide mental health services to youth. Submissions are accepted until January 22, 2025.
- CAMH was selected to administer the IYS Collaboration Centre following an open call for proposals.
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