Creating a mental health strategy for Canada
Currently, Canada is the only G8 country without a National Mental Health Strategy. Recently, the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) was established with one of its key priorities to develop a Mental Health Strategy for Canada.
As part of the strategy the MHCC will support the development of a framework specific to the needs of child and youth mental health. The proposed framework, entitled Evergreen, will complement and provide child and youth context to the Mental Health Strategy for Canada.
What is Evergreen?
Evergreen is a collaborative project that will produce a framework to help improve policy and programming related to child and adolescent mental health across Canada.
What is a mental health framework and why is it important?
Think of a framework like a blueprint for a house. If we want to build the best house, we need to create the best plan to design it and hire the best people to build it. Canada’s mental health system is no different. Frameworks help keep everyone on the same page, working together towards a common goal – to develop a mental health system that effectively meets the needs of its consumers.
Who will Evergreen affect?
Everyone. There is no health without mental health. A national child and youth mental health framework can be useful to assist provinces, territories and organizations to enhance their child and youth mental health strategies, policies and plans. Evergreen can also help to raise public awareness of the importance of addressing child and youth mental health needs, while helping to decrease stigma associated with mental disorders.
How is Evergreen being created?
The Evergreen framework will be collaboratively constructed by professionals, youth, parents and members of the public from all regions across Canada who have expertise, interest or experience with mental health and mental illness. In the end we envision the framework to be among the most comprehensive and scientifically-based child and youth mental health frameworks in the world
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!
To make this framework truly unique and successful we need your input. We need you to tell us what values and principles Canadians want to uphold in relation to mental illness and child and adolescent mental health services. We also need you to help share this initiative with others who can contribute.
The public forum will be online July 1st. When it’s ready our site and MHCC will link to it. Until then … spread the word!
Tags: Evergreen, International Mental Health, Mental Health Commission of Canada, Policy
June 9th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Hi,
I read your article and wanted to add to the conversation:
All children and young people, from birth to their 18th birthday, who suffer mental health problems and disorders, deserve to have access to timely, integrated, high quality, multi-disciplinary mental health services to ensure effective assessment, treatment and support, for them and their families.
These multi-agency services can provide early intervention and also meet the needs of children and young people with established or complex problems.
Protocols for referral, support and early intervention are agreed between all agencies.
The needs of children and young people with complex, severe and persistent behavioral and mental health needs are also met through a multi-agency approach. Contingency arrangements are agreed at senior officer levels between health, social services and education to meet the needs and manage the risks associated with this particular group.
Good luck in creating a unique comprehensive and scientifically-based child and youth mental health framework.
Keep us posted.
I will also help to promote the awareness of your campaign via ‘Twitter’and other social networks.
Thank you
Regards
Gary Graye
June 10th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Thanks for your comments Gary - right on point. We are poised to launch this campaign for July and social media will be a part of the promotion. We welcome any ideas you have to share this project - we want to make it is as inclusive and open as possible.
Dr. Kutcher
June 19th, 2009 at 6:57 am
Thanks to sites like these, there seems to be a greater awareness of teen mental issues. When I grew up the subject was almost taboo, parents barely acknowledging their children having these problems. I am glad that this issue is in the open where young people can discuss their conditions freely.
June 19th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Thanks James. Things are becoming more open but we have a long way to go before mental illness is out of the shadows.