Download Importance of Early Intervention for Teens and

About mindcheck.ca
• mindcheck.ca is a teen and young adult website that
encourages the early detection and intervention of mental
health and substance use issues.
• Ages 13-25
• Seeks to increase public awareness and reduce stigma.
• Initiated by Fraser Health in the fall of 2009; now a partnership
between Fraser Health and BC Mental Health and Addiction
Services.
About mindcheck.ca
• mindcheck.ca educates and provides early support for five
conditions: depression, anxiety, stress, substance use (drug &
alcohol) & psychosis.
• In late 2012, mindcheck.ca will expand to include social anxiety and
disordered eating.
• mindcheck.ca is an interactive website where visitors can check
out how they’re feeling & get connected to support early &
quickly.
• Support includes education, self-help tools, web links, chat link &
assistance connecting to professional resources.
mindcheck.ca
mindcheck.ca: Quizzes
• Screening tools – provide
level of severity of
symptoms.
• Does not provide a diagnosis.
• Feedback is tailored to the
scores.
• Provides recommendation to
seek support.
mindcheck.ca: Self-help and
Community Resources Links
• Self-help resources for each of the
conditions.
• Access to community resources:
• Mental Health Support & Information Line
• YouthinBC help phone lines & online chat
(youthinbc.ca)
• Kids Help Phone and web counseling
(www.kidshelpphone.ca)
mindcheck.ca:
Information Resources
• What to look for – early signs.
• Overview of anxiety, depression,
stress, substance use and
psychosis.
• Safer alcohol and drug use tips.
• Tools for stress management.
mindcheck.ca: Public
Awareness Program
• Targeted at teens/young adults and parents, friends and those
who work with teens/young adults.
• Delivered via third party organizations already communicating
with the target audiences.
• Schools, recreation clubs, libraries, public health offices
• Posters, postcards, factsheets, articles and social media tools.
• Print materials available in PDF and some in print.
Creative
• Posters, postcards and ads
Factsheets & Worksheets
Importance of Early Intervention
for Teens and Young Adults
• Mental health and substance use
disorders are the primary health
issues experienced by people in
their teens and early 20s.
• 1 in 5 B.C. youth will experience a
mental health or substance use
disorder serious enough to cause
significant distress and impair their
ability to function at home, school
or work, and with peers.
Incident Years Lived with Disability
(YLD) Rates per 1,000 Population by
Age & Broad Disease Grouping,
Victoria, Australia, 1996
Importance of Early Intervention
for Teens and Young Adults
Identifying an issue early and intervening early:
• Helps young people get better in less time.
• Can prevent things from becoming worse.
• Significantly reduces related negative impacts on self-image,
self-esteem and social development.
Health Literacy and Teens
and Young Adults
• Evidence suggests young people are not always well informed
about mental health issues.
• Young people often lack knowledge of the early symptoms of
mental disorders, and when, how and from whom to seek
appropriate help.
• As a consequence, many young people with distressing
mental health difficulties struggle to find appropriate
assistance.
• Promoting mental health literacy in young people and their
key helpers/gatekeepers can lead to better health outcomes.
Teen and Young Adults’
Information and Help-Seeking
• Studies indicate the majority of
young people with mental health
concerns seek information or
assistance from friends, family
and/or the internet.
Over 60% of young people affected by mental health concerns
do not seek professional help, according to current estimates.
How You Can Support
mindcheck.ca
• Identify local opportunities to promote mindcheck.ca:
– Coffee shops, community organizations working with teens / young
adults, churches, etc.
– Display posters, offer postcards and factsheets.
– Integrate PDFs and articles into existing newsletters, websites and
communication tools.
• Visit mindcheck.ca/do-you-work-teens-or-young-adults to
order PDFs and materials and to access support tools
What’s Next for mindcheck.ca
• Enhance for mobile technology
• Utilize social media: facebook, YouTube
• Add links to video and/or infographics
• Self-help tools to fill gaps
• Healthy living/prevention section
• Mobile apps – screening tools, self-management