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Danielle Devereaux

A team of researchers at ������Ƶ University have been awarded over $1.6 million to help improve the lives of young people dealing with mental health, substance use and housing challenges in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The community-based research project will be done in partnership with , a non-profit organization that works with at-risk youth in our province.

The award is part of a larger investment of more than $30 million over four years aimed at strengthening and expanding research within the  across Canada.

The initiative’s funders are the Government of Canada, through the  and Indigenous Services Canada, and its partners, the Graham Boeckh Foundation and Bell-Graham Boeckh Foundation partnership.

Dr. Kathy de Jong, assistant professor, School of Social Work, is the Newfoundland and Labrador-based project’s principal investigator.

Community partner Choices for Youth has been involved in the project from the start, playing an integral role in the grant application process.

“As youth experiences evolve, there is also a growing need to better understand these changes,” said Matthew Cooper, manager of impact measurement and engagement at Choices for Youth. “This initiative brings together a diverse team of health-care professionals, knowledge keepers and youth to research, understand and adapt the services that are essential for community needs and lived experience.”

A cross-disciplinary endeavour, the research team at ������Ƶ University also includes Drs. Josh Rash and Nick Harris, both associate professors in the Department of Psychology; Dr. Maisam Najafizada, associate professor of health policy, Faculty of Medicine; and Dr. Tsering Dolkar Watermeyer, assistant professor, School of Social Work.

Building on success to offer more

Titled Enhancing Integrated Youth Services in Newfoundland and Labrador: A Mixed-Methods, Wholistic Approach Toward Improving Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Outcomes through Clinical and Wrap-Around Service Delivery, the research project will build on the success of Carter’s Hill Place, an integrated youth services hub developed and operated by Choices for Youth in St. John’s.

“Close to a third of the young people Choices for Youth supports come to St. John’s to access supports, leaving behind any natural supports they had in their home community.”— Matthew Cooper

Integrated youth services hubs bring a myriad of different services together under one roof to address the complex challenges many youth face today, including increased mental health, substance use and housing issues.

As these issues are not limited to urban centres, one of the project’s goals is to open additional hubs outside the capital city.

“Choices for Youth has supported young people for decades, continually adapting as their needs have grown more complex,” added Mr. Cooper. “Over time, we have seen that many young people, especially those outside the metro area, face significant barriers accessing supports, highlighting the importance of meeting youth where they are and empowering local communities to lead the work. Close to a third of the young people Choices for Youth supports come to St. John’s to access supports, leaving behind any natural supports they had in their home community.”

Empowering communities

The research team will begin by looking at the work Choices for Youth is already doing at Carter’s Hill Place to assess what is working well, what improvements can be made and any gaps in the current service model.

This information will help improve services offered in St. John’s and inform the service delivery models of the new sites as they are implemented.

Each model will be tailored to the specific needs of the community it serves.

Services at the new integrated youth services hubs will be delivered by providers within these communities, empowering remote and rural communities to prioritize their own unique and varied needs and serve themselves.

The needs of marginalized youth, including racialized youth, indigenous youth, newcomer youth and LGBTQ+ youth, will also be taken into account. 

“Ultimately, this is a partnership that is based in youth and stakeholder engagement. It must therefore be driven by their identified needs and priorities,” said Dr. de Jong. “Working collaboratively with community partners and colleagues from within and across disciplines to help make this happen across Newfoundland and Labrador is such an honour. Knowing that as we do this here, our fellow integrated youth services colleagues are doing the same across Canada is inspiring. It creates hope that as we learn from one another, integrated youth services for young people will expand and improve and that our ultimate goal of improving mental health and substance use outcomes for youth will be made possible.”