Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions

Hi! 👋 We’re looking for new members for our Family Advisory Council — voices who will help guide our work and contribute to improvements in child and youth mental health and addictions in Ontario. We’re looking for new members who have lived experienced supporting a child or young person navigating the mental health and addictions system in Ontario. Is it you or someone you know? Join us: https://bit.ly/3J2YCac

What does hope mean to you? There are many ways to think about hope, it can be: ✨ a belief that you can achieve your goals ✨ the determination to achieve your goals ✨ something you can rely on when you feel lost No matter how you define it, we know that hope is an important factor in young people’s mental health and psychological wellness. Our latest #G2T resource explores what the research says about hope and how young people can cultivate their own sense of hope 🌱 https://bit.ly/3y75vaf

The future is yours and you can help to shape it! Are you: ✅ 18–25 years old?  ✅ Passionate about improving mental health and addictions services?  ✅ Experienced in accessing Ontario’s mental health and addictions care?  ✅ Interested in amplifying the voices of other young people? Now’s your chance! We're looking for fresh perspectives on our youth advisory council. It’s time for you to make an impact on child and youth mental health care in Ontario! Apply by August 15: https://bit.ly/3uFRFWM

"No matter where we live in the world, children, young people and adults are experiencing similar mental health challenges — the issues and pressures are the same." 🌍 Last month Melissa Jennings, Amy Porath, PhD and Shreya S. took our knowledge & expertise across the Atlantic to learn from others at the Global Leadership Exchange, hosted by the Netherlands. Here's what they had to say about their incredible time at #GLE2024 Melissa 💬 No matter where we live in the world, children, young people and adults are experiencing similar mental health challenges — the issues and pressures are the same. It’s inspiring to know there are organizations like ours that are trying in different ways to support the sectors we work in. Amy 💬 The GLE was a truly inspiring and enriching experience to connect with other leaders in mental health, substance use and disability from 70 different nations. The experience has helped strengthen my networks beyond Ontario and Canada, and allowed me to learn from other jurisdictions with respect to supporting child and youth mental health and substance use health. It was also a valuable opportunity to share the exciting work we are leading within the province to support young people and families in accessing the best care to support their mental health and well-being. Shreya 💬 I was able to connect with like-minded global leaders who advocate for systemic change in the disability, mental health, and addictions sectors. A special part of the conference that I’ll never forget was the closing panel on empowering Indigenous futures, where leaders Carole Koha, Rachel Fishlock, Joanne Mills and Don Warne shared their lived and living experiences navigating Eurocentric models of medicine and wellbeing, with a central focus on Indigenous resilience and joy. The panel ended with a Women’s Warrior song, which was a beautiful way to wrap up my time at the conference.

Information about mental health resources for young people should be easy to find, easy to understand and credible – but we know that isn’t always the case. To explore this, we worked with the CHEO Research Institute to launch a Participatory Action Research study that asked how young people were able to access mental health services before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the findings, we created informative and actionable toolkits in partnership with young people, caregivers and mindyourmind 💗 Two toolkits are now available: 📌 One for young people: https://bit.ly/4bmPpro 📌 One for caregivers: https://bit.ly/3wM56cG Each toolkit includes four fillable worksheets to help young people and their caregivers better understand their mental health needs and assess the supports that are available to them.

Sharing the latest evidence with the right people at the right time requires careful planning 📝 Our new quick guide to knowledge mobilization is here to help ✔ Download it today: https://bit.ly/3VSlQsC

Self-harming can come from many factors, recognizing the triggers can be a valuable first step in managing the urge to self-harm 💛 Learn more in our latest #Good2Talk student resource, created for post-secondary students by a post-secondary student: https://bit.ly/3LdwO5u In any self-harm situation where you may not be able to treat your injuries, don’t ever hesitate to call 911, or the new suicide crisis helpline 988, for professional medical assistance. They can also provide you with resources that you may not have access to on your own.

Purnima, thank you for your leadership, passion and commitment to this work. You have left an enduring mark on our team, our sector and the people we serve. We'll be cheering you on in your next chapter 💗

We're wrapping up our 20th anniversary celebrations in our June edition of Field Notes by sharing some of the standout moments & achievements from the last two decades 💌 Find the full story, plus what we're up to next, right here: https://bit.ly/4cFUxHx

For the last two days I have had the privilege of attending the Global Leadership Exchange match on intermediary organizations in The Hague. Participants from the Netherlands, the U.S., New Zealand and Canada discussed how we can more effectively measure our value and impact. We have come away energized with some concrete next steps. Thank you to colleagues from ZonMw for hosting us so warmly and preparing an excellent agenda. #GLE2024