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Objective: Higher than expected rates of mental health and/or addiction (MHA) concerns have been documented since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A more up-to-date prevalence of MHA outcomes and the factors associated with the occurrence of MHA concerns remains unclear. This study examined the prevalence of MHA outcomes and factors associated with screening positive for symptoms of depression only, anxiety only, and both depression and anxiety two years into the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada. Method: Ontario adults ≥18 years of age (n = 5000) reported on the presence of symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, and substance use between January and March 2022. Data were also collected on pandemic-related health variables, including COVID-19 infection fear, changes in socioeconomic status and mental health since pandemic onset, satisfaction with social supports, and MHA service needs. Results: The prevalence of positive screening for depressive or anxiety symptoms only was 8% and 11%, respectively, while 36% screened positive for both. Moderate/high risk levels of substance use were found in 20% of participants for tobacco and 17% for both alcohol and cannabis. Moderate/high risk levels of alcohol use and certain pandemic-related factors (negative change in mental health, unmet MHA service needs) were associated with positive screening for symptoms of depression only, anxiety only, and both depression and anxiety. Satisfaction with social supports was associated with lower likelihoods of being in the depression only and both depression and anxiety groups, and non-White ethnicity was associated with depression only. Conclusions: There was a continued burden of MHA issues two years into the pandemic. These results underscore the ongoing need for timely and accessible MHA services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Patient navigation has been proposed as a novel family-centered, integrated care model to address the care needs of persons living with dementia and their family caregivers by helping them navigate the complex range of dementia services offered in hospital and community settings. A key informant qualitative descriptive study explored the perspectives of 48 healthcare professionals to explore the need for dementia-specific patient navigation. Data were analyzed thematically. We identified one overarching theme: "Variability in the Need for Illness-Specific Patient Navigation" and five themes that highlight considerations when providing navigation to individuals with dementia: (1) Taking Part in Ongoing Training, (2) Addressing Stigma, (3) Focusing on Quality of Life, (4) Defining Home, and (5) A Continuous Process of Support. These themes provide preliminary insights into the conceptual differences about the need for illness-specific patient navigation and the areas within patient navigation where healthcare professionals are encouraged to find consensus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caring for youth with mental health and/or addictions (MHA) concerns is associated with caregiver strain, which may lead to negative consequences for youth and their caregivers. These consequences may be mitigated by caregivers and/or youth receiving assistance in navigating the healthcare system. Understanding what factors are associated with caregiver strain may be important in developing and implementing navigation services for such families; nonetheless, limited evidence currently exists regarding the predictors of strain in caregivers seeking navigation support. This study aimed to determine whether (a) the mental health profile of youth and (b) the home and family situation for youth with MHA concerns contribute significantly to strain in caregivers engaged in navigation. Data were collected from 66 adults caring for at least one youth with MHA issues accessing navigation service in Toronto, Ontario, between March and August 2018. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to determine which factors were associated with caregiver strain. The first regression model exploring youth‐specific independent variables (adjusted r2 =.478, F6,47 = 9.086, p <.001) demonstrated that lower levels of caregiver‐rated youth health (β = −0.577, p =.001) and higher levels of youth mental health symptom severity (β = 0.077, p <.001) significantly predicted higher levels of strain. The second regression model (adjusted r2 =.348, F5,54 = 7.287, p <.001) showed that lower levels of family functioning (β = −0.089, p <.001) significantly predicted higher levels of strain. Higher levels of caregiver strain in caregivers of youth with MHA concerns who are accessing navigation services are associated with lower levels of caregiver‐rated youth health, higher levels of youth mental health symptom severity, and lower levels of family functioning. These predictors may be potential targets for providers aiming to reduce caregiver strain, as part of navigation or other healthcare services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The process of patient navigation involves system resource experts matching patients to the most appropriate services. Patient navigation within the mental health and/or addictions (MHA) system is only a recent development and has not undergone extensive research. This study examines trends regarding clients of a family navigation service in Toronto, Canada, which supports families of youth ages 13-26 with MHA concerns. Method. A retrospective chart review was conducted using a sample of 200 cases from the first 989 clients of the navigation service. Descriptive statistics were performed to examine the general characteristics and demographics of navigation clients, the MHA profiles of navigation clients, and the characteristics of navigation. To predict the service needs and goals of navigation clients, four forward likelihood ratio multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed. Results. Female caregivers were the most frequent point of contact, and families most commonly requested psychiatric assessments, counselling services, and parent support programs. Families who were seeking help for a female youth were less likely to request psychiatric treatment compared to families seeking help for a male youth (p= .04) and families with a youth who already had a formal psychiatric diagnosis were more likely to request a counselling or therapy referral (p= .04) compared to families with a youth who had not received a formal psychiatric diagnosis. Conclusion. The findings contribute to an understanding of family navigation within the MHA field, and may support the development of targeted navigation programs that meet youth and families' needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As mental health navigation services continue to be implemented, the need for valid and reliable tools to assess the quality of these services increases. While case managers target individuals with severe mental illness and aim to reduce burden and cost, and increase independence, navigation services target all individuals with a range of mental health and/or substance use issues, with the aim of reducing barriers to treatment and coordinating individualized care. The current study evaluated satisfaction with a navigation service using a new 22-item questionnaire, the Navigation Satisfaction Tool (NAVSAT). Forty clients completed a web-based version of the NAVSAT to evaluate satisfaction with a family mental health navigation service in Toronto, Canada. Descriptive statistics on the sample and range of treatments/services are provided. The NAVSAT has excellent reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.96) and face validity. Satisfaction with the following navigation-level factors were the best predictors of overall satisfaction with navigation; the navigator’s ability to recommend the appropriate treatment (β = 0.116, p = .05), intake procedures (β = 0.364, p = .005), and the principal contact’s satisfaction with his/her frequency of contact with the navigator (β = 0.602, p = .001). Satisfaction with the following provider-level factors were the best predictors of overall satisfaction with the referred service; the referred service’s ability to improve the youth’s well being (β = 0.684, p < .001), and the referred service’s ability to listen and understand the family’s concerns (β = 0.356, p = .001). The NAVSAT appears to be a reliable tool for measuring satisfaction in the current sample. If these findings are replicated in a larger population serving youth and young adults in transition, the NAVSAT may prove to be a helpful guide for program evaluation and development for navigation and treatment services for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is estimated that 1.2 million Canadian youth are affected by mental health and/or addiction issues; yet only a small proportion of young people receive appropriate and specialized treatment. Given caregivers are often tasked with navigating the complex mental health and/or addiction care systems for their youth, it is important to identify and understand the characteristics, such as those related to youth and their families, that are associated with caregivers' perceived barriers to accessing youth mental health and/or addiction services., Objective: The objective of this cross-sectional survey study was to examine the unique predictors of caregivers' perceived barriers to accessing youth mental health and/or addiction services., Method: Participants were 259 caregivers of at least one youth, aged 4 to 29 years (M age = 16.7, SD = 5.3) with mental health and/or addiction issues in Ontario, Canada identified from a community-based online survey., Results: Regression results showed that caregivers' demographics (i.e., living in a rural area, having an education level of college/university degree or higher), youth having concurrent issues, and service use patterns (i.e., currently accessing and/or seeking services) significantly predicted a higher level of barriers to accessing mental health and/or addiction services., Conclusion: In order to improve access to care for youth with mental health and/or addiction issues, understanding the predictors of barriers to accessing appropriate services is an important step in making services more accessible for youth and families., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest The authors no financial relationships or ties to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.)