Announcing the Launch of the IYS Collaboration Centre and IYS Data Platform
Integrated Youth Services receives landmark funding to launch two new initiatives over the next few years.
Integrated Youth Services (IYS) will receive $32 million to launch the IYS Collaboration Centre and IYS Data Platform, bringing mental health care closer to all young people across Canada.
The funding comes as part of a coordinated effort with the Government of Canada to improve mental health care for youth and families across the country.
“Young people in Canada deserve to receive the best care available and to be supported in achieving their best outcomes,” said Dr. Jo Henderson, Co-Lead for the IYS Collaboration Centre. With approximately 105 IYS hubs operating across Canada and 55 more currently in development, the IYS Collaboration Centre will provide infrastructure to coordinate efforts for those within the IYS network.
Health Canada is providing the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) up to $15 million over five years to be the administrative host of the IYS Collaboration Centre, with Centre leadership provided by IYS leads. Meanwhile the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is committing over $17 million over four years to support the development of the IYS Data Platform.
“The IYS Collaboration Centre and Data Platform are game changers for youth mental health in Canada,” said Dr. Samuel Weiss, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction.
Dr. Steve Mathias, a Co-Lead with Henderson, welcomes the funding decision. "There is no better time to invest in the mental health and wellbeing of our young people than now,” he said, calling the investment “a quantum leap in the implementation of IYS centres and hubs in our country."
IYS connects individuals between aged 12 to 25 (up to 29 in some jurisdictions) to varied health and social services, all under one roof. With the IYS model rooted in multidisciplinary collaboration, the IYS Data Platform provides a place for researchers, decision makers, service providers and others to access and share data across the country.
To read about IYS in your jurisdiction, check out our Providers page. You can also contact us at info@iys-sij.ca to learn more.
