What is the system challenge?

Youth with complex mental health and/or addiction needs often do not receive the information or assistance needed to successfully transition from youth to adult services.

As a result, TAY and their family members may not find the right mental health and addiction services in the adult system. Or they simply may be unable to bridge the gap to adult care and discontinue services altogether. For the Sudbury-Manitoulin Service Collaborative, this presented an important challenge – how could their system ensure consistent, appropriate, and successful transitions between youth and adult mental health and addiction services? 

What are we doing about it?

With the support of the Provincial System Support Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the Sudbury-Manitoulin Service Collaborative developed the TAY Protocol – a defined set of procedures for helping youth with mental health and/or addictions issues move seamlessly into adult services. This protocol is based on evidence provided by Dr. Swaran Singh’s TRACK Study. 

The TAY Protocol is a step-by-step process that service providers use to plan transitions for youth ages 14-24 from child/adolescent mental health services to the appropriate adult mental health and addictions services.The TAY Protocol helps improve the service experience for these youth and can help them achieve better outcomes. 

The Service Collaborative also developed a local version of the Be Safe mobile app, which was based on the work of the London Service Collaborative. Be Safe supports youth to safety reach out to appropriate community resources when they are in need. Specifically, Be Safe:

  • allows the user to create a digital safety plan;
  • informs the user about mental health and addiction resources in their local community;
  • directs users to the best options fortheir needs though a decision-making aid;
  • creates a personal ‘get help script’that helps users find the words to reach out; and
  • empowers the user to reach out safely.

?What's this?

Full Implementation

At the end of the pilot phase, the pilot agencies shared their learning about using the protocol and resources. The number of agencies in Sudbury and Manitoulin districts using the protocol was then broadened. All agencies using the protocol met regularly to discuss the best way to implement and sustain the process.

Webinar: Supporting youth through their transition to adult services
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How do we know it works?

I’m doing better… I have been more out in the open, more open with new things. I’ve been happier because I’ve been going out more. Life’s good.

— Youth, TAY video
4

communities in the Sudbury-Manitoulin district are using the TAY protocol (Sudbury, Manitoulin Island, Chapleau and Espanola)

15

sites from the following agencies: CMHA Sudbury Manitoulin, Child and Family Centre, Turning Point Décisif, Children’s Community Network and Mnaamodzawin Health Services are using the TAY Protocol

I had a client that I recently transferred. The referral was quick & done over the phone. The transition meeting was scheduled within a week & the whole process took no more than 3 weeks

— Staff from the Child and Family Centre

Who is involved?

The Service Collaborative brought together 30 community members, including agency representatives from across six ministries and three communities - Sudbury, Manitoulin and Chapleau.  183 youth and 67 family members were consulted and their voices were included in the development and planning of the Protocol and its resources.

Resources

Download the resource and click on the pin to access the embedded documents.

Youth in Transition in Sudbury and Manitoulin Districts
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The importance of involving youth in planning youth services
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For More Information, Please Contact:

Heather Haynes, Clinical Manager, Child and Family Centre

Sandra Watson, Regional Implementation Coordinator