Mental health, substance abuse grant will study area youth

An Ontario Youth Mental Health, Substance Use and Addictions grant from Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) and the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions  will fund a joint study on youth mental health and addiction.

The $100,000 grant will be used to "build community capacity for trauma informed and addiction approaches for youth in Northern Ontario," according to a news release.

Hands theFamilyHelpNetwork.ca, will partner with Nipissing University in the research.

Research shows that compared to other provinces, adolescents residing in Ontario report higher rates of illicit drug use.

"Parents and caregivers in rural communities in northern Ontario face barriers in accessing appropriate services, a lack of clear referral pathways and a disconnect between assessments and interventions," says the release. "Additional training is required for professionals to address the complexity of issues for youth presenting with mental health and addiction issues. Further, understanding how trauma and addiction impact brain architecture and function will be highly beneficial for front-line mental health professionals who work with youth with concurrent disorders."

“Investing in the mental health needs of the youth is incredibly important,” said Akela Peoples, MHRC CEO.

“We are developing a plan to enhance core service providers' ability to help youth who suffer from concurrent mental health, substance use, and addiction issues," said Trish Mintz, Director of Child and Youth Mental Health at Hands." We want to help front-line staff to build skills, collaborate effectively, and provide a common language and understanding of the latest research on the neuroscience of youth addiction.”

“The research is always progressing as we develop our understanding of highly complex issues relating to brain structures and function in youth addiction,” said Dr. Andrew Weeks, Chair of the Psychology Department at Nipissing University. “We look forward to working with frontline workers who are actively helping youth with mental health and addiction concerns to share the latest research on what is going on in these developing brains and how traumatic experiences can alter brain function."