Funding outcome

Mental health problems affect about 1 in 5 children and youth. Getting the right help, early on, is important for their well-being and future development. One way to improve care is called Measurement-Based Care (MBC). MBC uses standard questionnaires that young people with mental health concerns fill out regularly to track how they're feeling. This helps health care professionals, children and their parents understand what's working and what needs to change in their treatment. It also gives clinics helped data that they can use to improve their services. Even though MBC has many benefits, it is not used regularly in most child and youth mental health services. Clinics might start using MBC, but often stop over time, which means that some children may not get the best possible mental health care. This project is about understanding what helps clinics keep using MBC over the long term. First, we will use data to look at how often MBC was used since it was first introduced in eight child and youth mental health clinics in Alberta. Then, we will use surveys and interviews to explore what helps clinics successfully use MBC over time, and what gets in the way. We'll work closely with clinic leaders, staff, and young people with lived experience to make sure the research stays meaningful and practical. The goal is to find ways to make MBC a regular part of care in Alberta and beyond. We hope to find and apply solutions that will make MBC a regular part of care in Alberta and beyond, leading to better mental health care for young people.