New series of guidance and resources promote equitable access to quality care for all

September 26, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Health Canada

Everyone in Canada deserves a health system that provides each of us with access to the services we need, when and where we need them. The availability and types of mental health and substance use supports can vary across Canada, which can lead to inconsistencies in quality and accessibility.

To help address this challenge, Health Canada commissioned the Standards Council of Canada to coordinate the development of a series of guidelines and resources to promote better understanding, alignment, and integration among mental health and substance use health care providers throughout the country.

These resources include:

• Guidance document on Integrated Youth Services (IYS)
• Report on the integration of Mental Health and Substance Use Health Care services in primary care settings
• Report on gaps and recommendations related to Mental Health and Substance Use Health Care digital apps
• Report on integrated Mental Health and Substance Use Health Care services for people with complex needs – with a focus on early psychosis intervention
• Publicly available specification to formalize substance use health competencies for all prescribers
• Report on gaps and opportunities for improving substance use health-related withdrawal management services

This work can inform better care for people across Canada by promoting evidence-based approaches across key mental health and substance use health issues. Recognizing that the delivery of health care is primarily the responsibility of provinces and territories, this work offers mental health and substance use health care providers a collection of principles, guidance, and best practices that they can refer to, learn from, and put into action.

It will also help guide federal actions in support of positive mental health and substance use health in the future; reduce barriers to care; and address limited front-line workforce capacity.

Hundreds of Canadians contributed their energy and expertise to this initiative, including people with lived and living experience, Indigenous peoples, clinical experts, service providers, community organizations, family and peer advocates, academics, and more. Health Canada would like to thank everyone who contributed to this important body of work with a special acknowledgement to the Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee, Dr. Carol Hopkins and Dr. Brian Rush, for their leadership and wisdom, which guided this process.