Youth mental health

Help in Hand Initiative to Support Youth Mental Health in Northwestern Ontario

Connecting Young People With the Right Care

The Help in Hand initiative is part of Dr. Aislin Mushquash's (pictured) broader research program focused on helping young people thrive in an increasingly digitally connected world.

Thunder Bay, Ont. – For youth in northwestern Ontario, timely access to mental health care is a significant challenge. To fill this service gap, researchers at Lakehead University are launching the Help in Hand initiative in partnership with community mental health agencies and School Mental Health Ontario.

With a $2 million investment from Health Canada's Youth Mental Health Fund, the initiative expands access to youth mental health supports in schools across northwestern Ontario. Help in Hand will bring digital mental health tools directly into schools—where young people spend much of their time—and create stronger links to additional care when it is needed.

Led by Dr. Aislin Mushquash, a clinical psychologist and Lakehead’s Research Chair in Youth Mental Health, the initiative is part of her broader research program focused on helping young people thrive in an increasingly digitally connected world. Designed to complement, not replace, existing mental health services, Help in Hand adds another layer of support to help young people connect with the right level of care based on their current needs.

“I’ve worked as a clinical psychologist in our community for 13 years and have seen how young people often face unique barriers to accessing support,” said Dr. Mushquash. “Help in Hand is about providing practical, evidence-based tools while strengthening links to the broader mental health system. Our hope is that this initiative will lead to a better understanding of the impact of digital spaces and technologies on youth mental health.”

Recognizing that educators are often the first point of contact when youth experience challenges, Help in Hand will provide school communities with specialized training and resources to navigate the evolving digital mental health landscape, find high-quality tools, and measure their impact. Participating students will have access to JoyPop, a research-backed app that helps youth strengthen their emotion regulation skills and improve overall well-being.

Dr. Mushquash and her research team are working closely with a network of community partners, including Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, Children’s Centre Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay Counselling Centre, School Mental Health Ontario, and McGill University’s Ludic Mind Studio, to improve the effectiveness, timeliness, and cultural appropriateness of integrated mental health care for youth and their support systems.

Help in Hand will directly benefit youth, families, and schools across the region, while the knowledge generated will help inform how education and healthcare systems make decisions about the integration of digital technologies nationwide.

Quotes

“Community organizations, like Lakehead University, are key to strengthening youth mental health because they understand the needs and realities of young people in their communities, especially those facing the greatest barriers to care. Through Health Canada’s Youth Mental Health Fund, our government is helping young people access mental health care where they feel safe and supported. Supporting young Canadians today means building a Canada strong for generations to come.”

The Honourable Marjorie Michel
Minister of Health, Government of Canada

"When young people have access to the right supports at the right time, they are better able to thrive at school, at home, and in their communities. The Help in Hand initiative reflects the innovation and collaboration that Northwestern Ontario is known for, bringing together educators, researchers, and community organizations to improve access to mental health supports for youth. I'm proud to see partners across our region leading this important work."

The Honourable Patty Hajdu
Member of Parliament – Thunder Bay Superior North
Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor), Government of Canada

“The Help in Hand program demonstrates Lakehead University’s commitment to social responsibility in interactive online systems and the mobilization of research into real-world solutions that directly serve the needs of our community. By expanding mental health support within our local educational framework, Lakehead continues to lead in research that fosters thriving, resilient communities.”

Dr. Langis Roy
Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Lakehead University

“The Help in Hand project is an important step forward in improving access to mental health supports for youth across Northwestern Ontario. By increasing digital mental health literacy, providing evidence-informed tools, and strengthening pathways to care, the project will help youth and families find support sooner and more easily. Dilico is proud to partner in this work and to help ensure that Indigenous youth and their caregivers have access to resources and services that support wellness, resilience, and positive mental health outcomes.”

John Dixon
Director of Substance Health and Special Projects, Dilico Anishinabek Family Care

“Helping young people thrive means ensuring they have access to evidence-informed mental health supports that reflect the realities of their lives today. The Help in Hand initiative brings together digital mental health literacy, practical supports, and strong partnerships with schools to help students, educators, and families build confidence and wellbeing. We are excited to partner on this important work and help bring it to school communities across Ontario.”

Dr. Kathy Short
Executive Director, School Mental Health Ontario

Keywords:

Help in Hand

JoyPop

Youth mental health

Northwestern Ontario

Thunder Bay Researcher Co-Leads $10.8M National Project to Improve Indigenous Youth Mental Health

Thunder Bay, Ont. – A national initiative to improve Indigenous youth mental health, co-led by local researcher Dr. Chris Mushquash, has secured an additional $10.8 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Chris Mushquash Dr. Mushquash, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction; Professor in the Department of Psychology at Lakehead University; Vice President Research at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre; and Chief Scientist at Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute, and Dr. Srividya Iyer, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Youth, Mental Health, and Learning Health Systems and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University, are co-leading the four-year project focused on building a trust-based learning network across Canada to support culturally-grounded mental health services for Indigenous youth.

Indigenous youth in Canada face significant mental health challenges, such as intergenerational trauma, cultural disconnect, increased poverty, and limited access to health services, often due to geographic location and systemic barriers. Despite these challenges, Indigenous youth have strong connections to culture, community, and land, which are powerful protective factors that promote well-being.

As part of the ACCESS Open Minds Indigenous Youth Mental Health and Wellness Network, this initiative will strengthen capacity amongst Indigenous communities and integrated youth services (IYS) networks to deliver inclusive, high-quality, culturally and contextually relevant, and responsive mental health services with, and for, Indigenous youth. The project is guided by the strength of multigenerational teaching and brings together Elders, Knowledge Holders, youth, families, and community leaders, including Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, who serve 13 First Nations across northwest Ontario.

“This is an incredible opportunity for our network to help close critical gaps by cultivating a trust-based, collaborative learning environment across Canada,” said Dr. Mushquash. “With this investment, we can translate knowledge into real-life improvements for Indigenous youth, ensuring that services are more culturally grounded, accessible, and responsive to community needs. Being able to co-lead this work from northwestern Ontario, and specifically Thunder Bay, is deeply significant, as it reflects both the challenges and strengths of the communities we serve.”

The project will utilize various forms of data, including stories, lived experiences, cultural teachings, and images, to guide and strengthen its work. Its goals are to build community capacity, nurture the next generation of Indigenous and allied leaders, and weave Indigenous knowledge systems into service delivery. The interdisciplinary research team also aims to advance approaches rooted in Indigenous worldviews and values. Through these efforts, the network will help empower Indigenous communities and support partner organizations in delivering high-quality, culturally grounded care, while fostering sustainable development and ongoing learning.

"Lakehead University is committed to serving the communities we are proud to be part of, and that includes driving progress through research to improve health outcomes for Indigenous youth here in northwestern Ontario and across Canada,” said Dr. Langis Roy, Vice-President, Research and Innovation at Lakehead University. “This project demonstrates the vital role universities play in advancing knowledge, fostering innovation, and partnering with communities to create meaningful, lasting change in society.”

The Government of Canada, through CIHR and Indigenous Services Canada, and its partners, the Graham Boeckh Foundation (GBF) and Bell-GBF Partnership, is investing more than $30 million over four years in the Integrated Youth Services Network of Networks (IYS-Net) to strengthen and expand research across Canada. An innovative approach to youth-focused mental health, IYS provides youth with equitable access to a range of services and supports that contribute to health. This includes mental health and substance use services, alongside primary care, peer support, work and study supports, and more.

Keywords:

Indigenous mental health services

Strengthening capacity to support Indigenous youth mental health services

July 18, 2024 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

A national initiative, the ACCESS Open Minds Indigenous Youth Mental Health and Wellness Network, to enhance Indigenous youth mental health services, co-led by researchers from Lakehead University and McGill University, has received $1.45 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Chris Mushquash Lakehead’s Dr. Christopher Mushquash, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, Professor in the Department of Psychology, Vice President Research at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Chief Scientist, Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute, and McGill’s Dr. Srividya Iyer, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Youth, Mental Health, and Learning Health Systems and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, are leading the five-year project. This initiative will strengthen capacity amongst Indigenous communities and integrated youth services (IYS) to provide culturally affirming, high quality and responsive mental health services for Indigenous youth.

Srividya Iyer It brings together youth, Elders, family members, researchers, communities and leading Indigenous organizations, including the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation under the leadership of Dr. Carol Hopkins and the First Peoples Wellness Circle under the leadership of Dr. Brenda Restoule. Dilico Anishinabek Family Care is also a partner on the project.

"By centering Indigenous knowledge and practices, we aim to create a sustainable and culturally relevant mental health support system for Indigenous youth. This project is a testament to the power of collaboration and the wisdom of Indigenous communities, and youth, in addressing mental health challenges," Mushquash says.

Indigenous youth in Canada have experienced significant population growth, accompanied by growing concerns about their mental health and wellbeing. Adverse childhood experiences, influenced by historical and systemic factors such as intergenerational trauma, cultural disconnection, poverty and socioeconomic disadvantage, disproportionately affect Indigenous youth. Limited access to health services, culturally inappropriate care and geographical barriers further exacerbate these challenges.

“We have an opportunity to listen to Indigenous youth and work with them to address mental health inequities by advancing practices that centre Indigenous knowledge, values and traditions in mental health and wellness services,” Iyer emphasizes.

Over the next five years, the interdisciplinary research team will focus on relationship building and the development of service practices, tools, interventions and training programs to shape a learning health system that will inform mental health and wellness service delivery for Indigenous youth across Canada. It will also help build capacity for future leaders in Indigenous communities.

“By enabling primary care providers, communities, families and youth with the tools and knowledge on how to navigate the health system, we will strengthen the capacity within Indigenous communities to ensure that youth-focused mental health resources are available to them,” Mushquash explains.

The Government of Canada recently invested $59 million in the Integrated Youth Services Network of Networks (IYS-Net) to strengthen and expand IYS across Canada. An innovative approach to youth-focused mental health, IYS provides youth with equitable access to a range of services and supports that contribute to health. This includes mental health and substance use services, alongside primary care, peer support, work and study supports, and more. Associate Professor Dr. Aislin Mushquash, Adjunct Professor Dr. Elaine Toombs, and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Carolyn Melro from Lakehead University are also members of this network.

Mushquash concludes, “Through the larger IYS-Net initiative, we have the opportunity to address mental health inequities, not just in Indigenous communities, but for youth across Canada.”

In 2023/24, Lakehead University received almost $2.5 million in assistance from the Research Support Fund to support the indirect costs of research, which includes costs for supporting the management of intellectual property, research and administration, ethics and regulatory compliance, research resources, research facilities, and research security.

Keywords:

Indigenous

Youth mental health

mental health

Indigenous communities

Canadian Network for Child and Youth Mental Health Trials secures federal funding

May 8, 2024 - Thunder Bay, Ont.

Aislin Mushquash Federal funding has been announced for the Canadian Network for Child and Youth Mental Health Trials (CYMH Trials Network), a new network to support clinical research that aims to improve mental health care for children nationwide.

Mental health challenges remain a serious health issue among Canadian youth. Seventy-five percent of mental health disorders emerge before age 25. At any given time, one in every eight children under the age of 18 years has a mental health disorder requiring specialized health services.

A research network for child and youth mental health clinical trials does not yet exist in Canada, unlike other high-income countries.

Local network lead, Dr. Aislin Mushquash, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Lakehead University, states that “This network for children and youth mental health trials will provide critical infrastructure for researchers, trainees, andcommunity partners to develop high-quality studies that reflect real-world complexities, recruit diverse and representative populations, and conduct multi-centre trials across the country.”

The CYMH Trials Network will support high-quality, innovative clinical trials designed to improve mental health care for Canadian children and youth.

Guided by a team that spans 12 institutions and six provinces, including partnerships with national research and training networks and centres, the CYMH Trials Network boasts a nationwide presence. Funding support from the Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT)/ Accélérer les Essais Cliniques (AEC) Consortium, totalling $150,000, also underlines federal endorsement of the network.

This funding announcement marks an important first step in improving mental health treatments for children and youth. The network is also exploring partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and tech start-ups to build upon their findings and streamline medication access for families. Treatments developed through these partnerships could be put into a clinical care setting— allowing children and youth to access safe therapies vetted and formulated for their specific needs.

Dr. Mushquash will ensure that the needs of youth and community partners within Northwestern Ontario are reflected in the scope of the network. A key facet of the network is bringing together researchers, trainees, patient partners, Indigenous and community leaders, and decision-makers from across the country to improve child and youth mental health care. “This network will ultimately transform how Canadian child and youth mental health trials are developed and conducted” says Dr. Mushquash.

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Media:

Aislin Mushquash
807-343-8010 ext. 8771
aislin.mushquash@lakeheadu.ca

Jaclyn Bucik
705-330-4010 ext. 2014
mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca

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