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The Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health Team arer constantly working on projects, collarborating with community members and speaking at conferences around the world.
We are open and eager to share our work with anyone interested in furthering the understanding of mental illness, and aiding us in improving global mental health.
In Canada, approximately 1 in 5 children and adolescents experience some form of mental disorder. Most major mental disorders begin prior to the age of 25, making adolescence a critical time for the promotion and treatment of mental health problems.
One of the key initiatives of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is to develop a Mental Health Strategy for Canada. As part of this strategy the MHCC will support the development of a framework, entitled Evergreen, specific to the needs of child and youth mental health.
A framework for child and youth mental health is important because it helps keep everyone on the same page, working together towards a common goal – to develop a mental health system that effectively meets the needs of young people living with mental health problems and illnesses.
Evergreen will be collaboratively developed by professionals, youth, parents and members of the public from all regions across Canada who have expertise, interest or experience with mental health and mental illness.
In the end we envision Evergreen to be among the most comprehensive child and youth mental health frameworks in the world!
How YOU can make a Difference
Engage - we want people to share their opinions with us about what values Canadians want to uphold in relation to mental illness and child and adolescent mental health services. The public forum will be online July 1st. To contribute your voice and ideas visit
Educate - an informed public is a strong public. We want to give people the best available info to make good decisions about their mental health. Learn more about youth mental health and mental illness at www.teenmentalhealth.org.
Advocate - the Mental Health Commission of Canada is committed to creating a comprehensive mental health strategy for Canada and are in support of a component specific to the needs of children and youth. Youth mental health will stay in the shadows unless we speak up and advocate for change. Learn more at www.mentalheatlhcommission.ca.
Connect - join our group on Facebook and invite your friends! Our page is called “Help Canada Create a Youth Mental Health Strategy”. Connect people who care about youth mental health and want to make a difference to Canada's mental health system.
Evergreen is a project of the Child and Youth Committee of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Funding for this project is provided by the Mental Health Commission of Canada with additional support from the Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health, IWK Health Centre, T. R. Meighen Family Foundation, and Kathryn A. Weldon Foundation.
