Grant: Tm. Gr.: Mental Health in Early Years Impl. Science - Prev. and resp. to PTS

One in three Canadian children is exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including abuse, neglect, and family violence. During early childhood when the foundation for lifelong mental health is established, exposure to ACEs is particularly harmful. Risk factors for ACEs, such as income loss, family stress, and maternal substance use, have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, pointing to the urgent need for effective prevention and intervention approaches. Breaking the Cycle (BTC) is an award-winning program that serves substance-using mothers and their young children at risk for exposure to ACEs. BTC is the only program in Canada for substance-using mothers that specifically targets the mental health of young children and the mother-child relationship. Our research has shown that BTC leads to positive outcomes for mothers, including decreased substance use, mental health difficulties, and stress. This project aims to understand whether BTC leads to enhanced mental health outcomes for infants and young children, how the program works, and the long-term cost savings associated with BTC. We also want to identify strategies for implementing BTC in other communities. First, we will examine whether infants at BTC, compared to infants in a program that does not target infant mental health, have lower ACEs and better mental health outcomes. We will examine whether changes in parenting behaviour, stress, and mental health of mothers at BTC explain benefits for children. We will also assess the long-term cost savings of intervening early. Second, we will provide training and support to two partner projects to implement the BTC infant mental health approaches. We will evaluate barriers and facilitators to implementation and explore whether BTC can be replicated. This project has the potential to position Canada as an international leader in infant mental health and improve mental health outcomes for children exposed to ACEs.