History of IYS in Canada
IYS began as a way to improve access to appropriate care and services for youth for their mental health and wellness.
IYS is shaping a new approach to youth mental health services by learning from international models like Australia's headspace and Ireland's Jigsaw, as well as Canada's own 2014 ACCESS Open Minds research project.
The first IYS centre opened in British Columbia in 2015, with Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba quickly joining the movement.
As IYS gained momentum, more regions saw the potential and are getting involved. With funding from the federal and provincial/ territorial governments and philanthropic organizations, regions are bringing together youth and family advocates with community leaders, service providers and, researchers to create IYS networks that meet the unique needs of their communities.
Today, IYS's influence stretches across Canada, uniting everyone in a common goal: to develop and provide the services that young people want and need.
Timeline
2011
Canada’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) announced.
CIHR-SPOR and GBF co-develop and launch Transformational Research in Adolescent Mental Health (TRAM) to fund a Youth Mental Health Research Network.
2012
2014
ACCESS Open Minds awarded $25m.
2015
Foundry (BC) launched.
2017
Federal Government commits $5B over 10 years to provinces and territories to increase access to mental health and substance use health services, including a focus on youth.
Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (YWHO) launched.
2018
Aire ouverte (QC) launched.
2020
Huddle (MB) launched.
2021
IYS networks operation or in development in 9 of 10 provinces, funded in part through the 2017-2022 Federal/ Provincial/ Territorial accords.