Youth Residential Treatment

The Research Question:

"Given the characteristics of the client base and the social, geographic, economic and political contexts of Newfoundland & Labrador, what does the scientific literature tell us about effective ways to implement appropriate and efficient residential treatment programs for all children and youth aged 10 to 21 with complex needs in the province?"

Background:

In 2010, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced the creation of two residential treatment centres: one for youth with complex mental health needs and one for youth with addictions. At present, youth with complex mental health needs or addictions are sent out of province for residential treatment or they are provided with alternative health service plans such as Independent Living Arrangements (ILA). The new residential treatment centres therefore provide youth with treatment options that were previously unavailable in this province.

Decision makers in the Department of Health and Community Services, Labrador Grenfell Health, and Eastern Health worked with Team Leader Dr. John S. Lyons (Endowed Chair, Child and Youth Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa/Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario) and the Contextualized Health Research Synthesis Program to identify and evaluate the best available evidence addressing residential treatment health services for youth with complex mental health needs and/or addictions. The research evidence was analysed in the context of the capacities and characteristics of the province.

The Project Team thanks Dr. Stanley Kutcher (Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health at Dalhousie University and the IWK Medical Centre, Halifax, NS) for his leadership in this project up to June, 2009.

The CHRSP Project Team:

  • Dr. John S. Lyons, University of Ottawa & Children's Hospital of Eastern
  • Ontario (Team Leader)
  • Boyd Rowe, CEO, Labrador-Grenfell Health (Health System Partner)
  • Dr. Helen-Maria Vasiliadis, Université de Sherbrooke (Health Economist)
  • Dr. Stephen Bornstein, Director, NLCAHR, (CHRSP Program Director)
  • Pablo Navarro, NLCAHR, (CHRSP Project Coordinator)
  • Rob Kean, NLCAHR (CHRSP Research Assistant)

Project Consultants:

  • Dr. Brendan Barrett, Professor of Medicine, Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Memorial University (Special Advisor, CHRSP)
  • Dr. Patrick McGrath, Vice President Research, IWK Health Centre; Professor of Psychology, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Dalhousie University (External Adviser)
  • Mabel Anderson, Consultant, In-care & Residential, Children & Youth Services, Public Health, Wellness & Children & Youth Services, DHCS
  • Carol Brice-Bennett, Regional Director, Aboriginal Affairs, Labrador-Grenfell Health
  • Ivy Burt, Former Director, Child & Youth Services, DCYFS, DHCS
  • Genevieve Corbin, Director, Child, Family & Youth Services, Labrador-Grenfell Health
  • Cst. Julie Cunningham, Street Patrol Officer, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary
  • Dan Goodyear, Director, Student Support Services, Department of Education
  • Dr. Heather Hair, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, MUN
  • Michelle Kinney, Deputy Minister, Health and Social Development, Nunatsiavut Government
  • Debbie Sue Martin, Former Director, Mental Health & Addictions, DHCS
  • Cheryl Mallard, Coordinator of Housing Programs,Choices for Youth
  • Heather Modlin, Director, Key Assets, St. John’s, NL
  • Michelle Shallow, Director, Child & Youth Services
  • Colleen Simms, Special Advisor to the Minister, Mental Health & Addictions, DHCS, formerly Director, Mental Health & Addictions Program, Eastern Health
  • Dr. Kimberly St. John, Associate Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University

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