YouthCan IMPACT
YouthCan IMPACT is a collaborative initiative of youth, families, community agencies, primary care partners and hospitals in Toronto that is focused on improving the youth mental health and addiction system. Through a one-stop walk-in clinic model of care, young people between the ages of 12 and 25 can access the services they need, right in their community. YouthCan IMPACT provides fast access to youth mental health and addiction services and addresses gaps in youth mental health and addictions services.
Young people experience barriers to accessing the mental health care they need. These barriers include stigma, long wait lists, and a general reluctance to access mental health services, especially those designed for adults. Young people desperately need mental health care services that meet their needs in the way they want to access them so they can recover quickly and live healthier, more productive lives.
• YouthCan IMPACT is a collaborative initiative of youth, families, community agencies, primary care partners and hospitals in Toronto that is focused on improving the youth mental health and addiction system.
• Through a one-stop walk-in clinic model of care, young people between the ages of 12 and 25 can access the services they need, right in their community.
• YouthCan IMPACT provides fast access to youth mental health and addiction services and addresses gaps in youth mental health and addictions services.
• A wider range of services is offered to youth and families, supporting them in all areas of their lives.
The YouthCan IMPACT team has created a resource for community partners looking to implement mental health care hubs in their community. Building Integrated Service Hub Models for Youth Mental Health and Addictions: The YouthCan IMPACT Experience and Guidebook is based on the team’s experience setting up integrated service hubs in Toronto. Click [HERE] to get your copy.
The YouthCan IMPACT team is conducting a research project to evaluate the benefits of this approach and to compare the effectiveness of Integrative Collaborative Care Teams to hospital outpatient psychiatric services. The study focuses on youth 14 to 18 and is coordinated by the Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health at CAMH.
A similar approach has been adopted by Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario, which will provide one-stop services for up to 12,000 young people across the province through 10 sites. YWHO operates under the leadership of Dr. Joanna Henderson, also Director of the McCain Centre.