I07 – Integrated Youth Health Services: Global Lessons to Optimize Health Equity, Experiences, and Outcomes for Diverse Young People and Families

Summary

For the past decade, Canada, Ireland, and Australia have been working to address the urgent mental health needs of young people and their families. Our three countries share the challenge of low-barrier entry points for young people to access coordinated and evidence-based care, while matching the intensity of the care to the young person’s readiness and need. As the demand increases for integrated mental health services to be developed and funded, opportunity exists for Canada and their partners to develop, refine, and share lessons about integrated models of health care for young people and their families. Foundry & Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario, headspace, and Jigsaw centres have been delivering in-person and virtual integrated health services to young people aged 12 to 24 in Canada, Australia, and Ireland respectively. This presentation will discuss lessons from the four organizations, representing over 200 diverse centres/hubs and communities, for COVID-19 response, expansion, telehealth, multi-disciplinary training, service implementation (in person and virtual), partnership, government and Indigenous relations, youth- and family leadership and engagement, evaluation, and research. We will also highlight the critical role of youth, families, and communities to support the development, implementation, and scaling of centres/hubs, services, and evidence-based research. We will highlight actionable steps the organizations are taking to bring equitable health care to all young people in our countries, with outlining each organization’s careful consideration for socioeconomic inequities in health care, and paths to move forward to ensure the health and wellness for all youth. This talk will discuss the value added of organizations working together to learn how integrated youth health care can best be organized and delivered. This dialogue will highlight different perspectives, sharing insights and innovations that stand to strengthen integrative and collaborative youth health care in Canada and beyond.