Desperately Waiting: Advocate’s Review of Mental Health & Addictions Services for Young People in Saskatchewan (QI Power Hour)

Speakers:

• Lisa Broda, PhD, Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth
• Marci Macomber, MA, Systemic, Policy & Research Advocate

Session Description:

The report, Desperately Waiting, examines the current landscape of child/youth mental health and addictions services since the release of the 2014 Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan. Using interviews and focus groups, the Advocate and staff spoke to over 490 participants, including children and youth, families, front line health providers, other child-serving professionals, and government officials, on their lived experiences, perspectives, and knowledge pertaining to mental health and addiction services. The Advocate also spoke with government and stakeholder officials on historical and current investments into mental health services for young people in Saskatchewan and assessed all data with respect to the availability, accessibility, and efficacy of services through a child rights lens. This research resulted in 14 cross-government recommendations for improvement, centering around ways to make services more accessible to children and youth.

In this webinar participants will learn:

• How mental health, addiction, and problematic substance use are situated within the child rights context.
• How a reactive versus proactive system impacts children and youth’s mental health.
• Current barriers to accessing child and youth mental health and addictions services. Advocates will recommend how these barriers can be removed and how new practices can be put in place.

Note: This webinar will be recorded; by registering for this webinar you are providing your consent to this recording.

Watch the recording