New report on our substance use and addictions consultations available now

Today, after many months of consultations, we’re pleased to share our report on priorities in substance use and addictions services. The content in this document will serve as a compass to guide our sector’s shared path forward in this area.

In late 2021, we made the decision to integrate substance use and addictions as a key focus area within our organization to help Ontario’s child and youth mental health and addictions (CYMHA) sector in delivering evidence-based services and support. Our goal? To better facilitate knowledge sharing, streamline our sector’s collaborative efforts and address existing knowledge and implementation gaps.

Throughout the past year, we’ve engaged in insightful conversations with agency leaders, service providers, young people and families to get a good grasp on our sector’s priorities, strengths, challenges and needs related to substance use.

Here are a few of the things we heard:

• Young people’s cannabis use and problematic technology use are primary concerns.
• There are few programs that focus both on mental health and substance use and addictions together, and few options support behavioural addictions.
• Building strong partnerships between local agencies and sectors is essential to ensuring quality care.
• Children and young people need integrated services that respond to their diverse and unique needs.

Read the report to learn more about our findings and how we plan to support the sector in better meeting the needs of young people and their families across the province of Ontario.