MHST 631: Reflections -Enhancing Support for the Mental Health of Children and Youth in Care

As I reflect on health promotion in relation to what I have learned in my first Master of Health Studies, Health Promotion course (MHST 631), I believe it is important to choose a topic that aligns with my personal interests, work experience, and coursework thus far. With this in mind, I have decided to focus on the subject of mental health for children and youth receiving child welfare services in Canada. This blog post will introduce some of my initial findings.

My understanding of the topic to date

Mental health challenges among children and youth are increasing worldwide (McGovern et al., 2024). In Canada, the number of diagnosed mood and anxiety disorders in young people has risen, leading to an increased demand for mental health services and consultations over the past five years (Wiens et al., 2020). There is an urgent need for the healthcare system to prioritize and respond to the mental health crisis that Canadian young people are currently facing (Wiens et al., 2020).

Children and youth receiving child welfare services are at a significantly greater risk of developing mental health issues, when compared to the general population (McGovern et al., 2024). Trocmé and Fallon (2024) agree and emphasize the urgent need for systemic changes within the Canadian child welfare system, to address the complex mental health challenges of young people in care. Unfortunately, there is a significant gap in research on evidence-based preventative interventions that are specifically tailored to support this vulnerable group (McGovern et al., 2024).

My personal learning goals

After conducting an initial review of the literature, I discovered a significant number of papers critiquing the child welfare system and the cultural competence of its staff. However, there is a lack of information on strategies to enhance mental health services for children in care of the government. A common theme in the limited research available is the utilization of collaborative, multidisciplinary models to assist young individuals in foster care with mental health challenges. I am keen on exploring the extent of implementation of this approach and identifying any noteworthy alternatives. Additionally, I am interested in investigating other methodologies employed with this demographic and their respective levels of effectiveness.

I would also like to learn how to use health promotion frameworks like the Government of Canada’s Population Model, to design modern health promotion strategies (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Government of Canada (2001) Population Health Model

Source: Public Health Agency of Canada. Developing a Model: Population Health Promotion: An Integrated Model of Population Health and Health Promotion. 25 Nov. 2001. Retrieved from Government of Canada, 2023.

As illustrated, this model can be modified to conceptualize and design health promotion strategies that focus on the social determinants of health in conjunction with action strategies at various levels. I intend to apply this model to determine how reorienting services and creating supportive environments can enhance mental health services for children and youth within the child welfare system. I am also eager to apply other health promotion frameworks, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, during this course, to enhance my studies.

Challenges as I pursue this health promotion topic

Although there may be limitations in the current literature, particularly within Alberta, I will use this as an opportunity to continue my search for innovations in Canada and across other jurisdictions. I will work to narrow my focus in the coming weeks as I feel the topic is quite broad. Finally, I will remain mindful of my positionality throughout this course to ensure that any biases or assumptions do not negatively influence my research and learning outcomes.

Conclusion

Tackling the mental health challenges faced by children and youth in the child welfare system is critical. By exploring collaborative models and applying established health promotion frameworks, we can develop effective strategies that truly make a difference. I look forward to continuing my research and discovering innovative solutions that can fill the gaps in current services.

References

McGovern, Ruth, et al. “Co-Producing an Intervention to Prevent Mental Health Problems in Children and Young People in Contact with Child Welfare Services.” BMC Public Health, vol. 24, no. 1, Aug. 2024, p. 2276, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19770-6 

Trocmé, N., & Fallon, B. (2024). The urgency in child welfare services is addressing poor mental health trajectories. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(2), 91-92.

United Nations. (2018, April 20). Do you know all 17 SDGs? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/0XTBYMfZyrM 

Wiens, K., et al. “A Growing Need for Youth Mental Health Services in Canada: Examining Trends in Youth Mental Health from 2011 to 2018.” Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, vol. 29, 2020, p. e115, https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796020000281 

World Health Organization. (1986). Ottawa charter for health promotion, 1986 (No. WHO/EURO: 1986-4044-43803-61677). World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/health-promotion/population-health/ottawa-charter-health-promotion-international-conference-on-health-promotion/charter.pdf 

World Health Organization. (2016). Shanghai Declaration on promoting health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-NMH-PND-17.5