Grant: Project Grant

One in five Canadians and one in four Ontarians will experience a mental illness or addiction in their lifetime. In rural and underserved areas, where access to specialists is limited, primary care providers often manage complex or severe illness with little support. In order to meet the needs of rural patients and providers alike, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has funded the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and University of Toronto to implement the first Canadian Project ECHO in mental health and addictions model, ECHO Ontario Mental Health. The ECHO model of knowledge sharing leverages video-conferencing technology to empower PCPs to reach the highest level within their scope of practice; during weekly teleECHO clinics providers are offered a safe environment to expand their knowledge of evidence-based best practices, consult with a team of specialists on complex cases managed within their practice, and share barriers and successes with a community of practitioners. In the first year of ECHO Ontario Mental Health we have shown that participation in this program improved providers' knowledge and self-efficacy in mental health and addictions. The current aim is to evaluate the long- term impact of ECHO with a focus on patient health outcomes. The results of this research will be used to improve the quality of mental health care available in primary care settings, as well as to create recommendations for improvements in health delivery systems in rural and under-serviced areas.