Grant: Project Grant

Currently, Canadian youth have great difficulty accessing timely, youth-friendly, evidence-based mental health and addiction (MHA) services. There is increasing provincial, national and international interest and investment in developing integrated service hubs (ISHs) for MHA to address these concerns. The ISH model aims to increase agency capacity to serve diverse youth MHA needs by providing multiple services, potentially including psychotherapy, psychiatry, primary care, housing support, and other services. However, it is unclear exactly which service components and characteristics an ISH should encompass to optimize impact. Given rapid expansions of ISH initiatives and extensive investments in them, it is crucial to identify the service components/characteristics most critical to their success from diverse stakeholder perspectives. When services fit with the preferences of service users and agencies, clients are more likely to use and benefit from the services, and agencies are more likely to provide services in an evidence-based way. This study will identify the core components and characteristics of ISHs for youth MHA, from youth, caregiver, and agency perspectives, using a consumer preference modeling approach. A multi-step engagement process will involve youth, families, and agency representatives in three Ontario locations (Toronto, Chatham, and Penetanguishene) to discuss their perspectives and inform the development of a comprehensive preference survey. The survey will then be administered to 500 youth, 500 families, and 500 agency representatives throughout Ontario to identify the service components considered most crucial from diverse perspectives and in diverse settings. The results will guide provincial, national and international researchers, service agencies, investors, and policymakers interested in transforming the youth MHA system through optimal youth- and family-friendly ISH models that meet the needs of all stakeholders.