Grant: Emerging Team Grant: Co-morb of brain disorders & other health problems-full

This research will develop and evaluate innovative, developmentally-informed, integrative service delivery models to address co-occurring disorders (CDs) using a community-collaborative framework. We will 1) prepare the groundwork for improved child, youth and family treatment 2) increase collaboration amongst disciplines and service sectors 3) develop strategies to reduce barriers to effective treatment 4) help establish an integrated health services and research network and 5) identify distinct profiles of youth with concurrent disorders that informs prognosis and practice. There are four inter-related subprojects: 1. A three-year longitudinal Cohort study using school-based and clinic-referred samples to investigate diverse trajectories of emerging CDs and to track service utilization and treatment barriers. We focus on the transition from childhood to adolescence, a critical period for steep increases in substance use, psychological distress, and behaviour problems. 2. Screening and Diagnosis: screening tools for youth CDs will be validated on school-based and clinic-referred samples. The tools will be validated with other mental health and substance use measures through the Cohort Study. 3. Service Delivery and Treatment. We will evaluate three treatment components: 1) individual motivational enhancement for adolescents, 2) skills training groups for youth based on dialectal behaviour therapy, and 3) skills training groups for families. 4. Knowledge Translation and Exchange. Stakeholder involvement, from design to implementation to evaluation, is essential for successful approaches with community end users. We will build collaborative cross-sectoral networks with community service providers involved with youth. Community agencies will participate in one or more of subprojects and the experience with and information from these subprojects will inform capacity building and enhance service utilization.