TRANSFORMING CARE FOR EMERGING ADULTS
As Calgarians rallied to create a new Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health, the need to support 16- to 24-year-olds became very clear. Young people in this age group are equally vulnerable and at a critical stage of development. It is during this time when symptoms of diagnosable mental disorders and the onset of major mental illnesses become most prevalent. The statistics are sobering. In response to community concern for these young people, the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation is proudly partnering with Alberta Health Services (AHS) and the University of Calgary on a new venture that will research, re-examine and redesign services and treatments to meet their needs.
Ultimately, this mental health initiative will include the creation of a centre—a blend of virtual and physical space—that will provide nation-leading care, built upon a research framework, informed by a team of multidisciplinary experts, and tailored for emerging adults and their families.
With your help, AHS and UCalgary will transform the existing health-care model to better support a population at risk of falling through the crack between pediatric and adult mental health-care systems.
THE IMPACT
Within five years, this collaborative approach will result in better outcomes and advancements in both clinical care and vital research that will benefit this vulnerable population here and around the world.
CLINICAL CARE OUTCOMES
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Reduced wait times for patients and families to see counsellors at the Emerging Adult Treatment Clinic
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More addiction and mental health services for young adults
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Reduced need for crisis services
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Improved navigation of mental health services in the Calgary area and a better experience for clients and their families
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Empowered clients who can better manage their own health
RESEARCH OUTCOMES
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Important longitudinal knowledge of emerging adults and mental health
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New predictive models to enable precision medicine
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Individualized model of care for youth at a high risk for development of severe mental illness
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Ability to test, refine and implement timely, flexible therapies for emerging adults suffering from depression, delivered virtually or in-person
Like the Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health, this will be a research-intensive space tailored to an underserved population that will enhance the continuum of clinical care and provide new hope for emerging adults suffering from illnesses here in our community and around the world.