Systemic changes required to meet children and youth’s mental health needs

OTTAWA – Insufficient training, lack of access to multidisciplinary teams, and inadequate government funding have exacerbated a mental health crisis among children and youth: Fewer than 20 percent of kids with mental health concerns receive treatment when they need it. And while paediatricians are often the first point of contact for families seeking care, the current system is falling short of adequately supporting them and, consequently, their patients.

A joint statement from the Canadian Paediatric Society and the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CACAP) says that system-wide changes—in medical education, health systems, and health policy—are needed to improve child and youth mental health outcomes.

“We know that community paediatricians are already doing so much of the heavy lifting when it comes to the mental health crisis,” said Dr. Stacey Bélanger, a developmental paediatrician in Montreal and a member of the CPS Mental Health Task Force. “We hope this statement will help them advocate for a better mental health system in which they are empowered to provide the best care for their patients and are appropriately and fairly remunerated.”

The new guidance document outlines the core competencies of mental health preventative care, screening, treatment, and collaborative care.

To meet the growing demand for paediatric mental health services, the CPS is calling for expanded mandatory education for trainees and continuing professional development opportunities for paediatricians to enhance their skills in evidence-based mental health treatments.

The CPS and CACAP are calling on governments at all levels to meet the urgency of the situation with increased funding for universal access to evidence-based mental health services, programs and supports offered by a range of trained health care professionals.

Child and youth mental health is a priority for the CPS, and the organization will be developing additional resources and training opportunities for paediatricians in the coming months.

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