As part of this investment, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is investing $1 million to establish a pan-Canadian “network of networks” known as the Integrated Youth Services Network of Networks (IYS-Net).
An additional $15+ million will be provided by CIHR and philanthropic partners to expand IYS-Net across the country.
Health Canada is also providing nearly $2 million in funding to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to work with IYS-Net and other partners to develop an Integrated Youth Services National Data Framework and Infrastructure.
This work will contribute to improved understanding of youth service needs and outcomes, help build and test new services, and help services pivot more effectively when crises arise. The investment will also aid in the shaping of future IYS programs, including services designed specifically to meet the needs of marginalized youth.
Quick facts
- IYS is often referred to as a guiding set of principles for delivering care to youth, typically in the age range of 12 to 25 years.
- IYS often include such services as:
- mental health services
- substance use counselling
- primary care
- peer and family support services
- sexual health services
- work and study supports
- assistance navigating the health care system
- housing and other social community services
- traditional Indigenous healing and cultural practices
- IYS-Net is being developed through a partnership between CIHR, the Graham Boeckh Foundation, the Bell-GBF Partnership, and the RBC Foundation through RBC Future Launch, with new partners to be brought on board as IYS-Net evolves.
- The three most established provincial networks for IYS will receive this initial funding of $1 million: Foundry (British Columbia), Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (Ontario), and Aire ouverte (Quebec), as well as an Indigenous Network drawn from ACCESS Open Minds sites in First Nation and Inuit communities where research and service delivery is guided by a well-established Indigenous Council.