The Registered Nurses’ Affiliation of Ontario (RNAO) is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its Youth Wellness Champions (YWC) Program with the Stronger Collectively: RNAO Psychological Well being and Substance Use (MHSU) Summit, happening on March 18 and 19, 2025, in Toronto. The occasion will carry collectively nurses, well being professionals, schooling leaders, and social service specialists to replicate on the successes of the YWC program and focus on future methods for addressing youth psychological well being.
The summit is organized towards the backdrop of a regarding 2023 research by the Centre for Habit and Psychological Well being (CAMH), which discovered that 38% of scholars in grades 7-12 rated their psychological well being as truthful or poor. In response, RNAO’s YWC Program, which was beforehand generally known as the Youth Psychological Well being and Habit Champions, has centered on enhancing the well being and well-being of kids and youth throughout Ontario. This system’s efforts embrace lowering stigma round psychological well being, growing psychological well being literacy, and fostering supportive and resilient environments for youth.
Dr. Doris Grinspun, CEO of RNAO, expressed delight within the ongoing work of the YWC program and highlighted the significance of continued group collaboration. “RNAO is proud to work alongside our provincial companions for over a decade to supply this evidence-based program that advantages youth and communities throughout Ontario,” Grinspun mentioned. She emphasised that the upcoming summit will assist develop new concepts and techniques to proceed advancing youth psychological well being assist.
The summit will characteristic collaborative periods on key subjects such because the impression of the YWC program, the significance of fairness, variety, and inclusion in youth psychological well being, the roles of schooling and well being sectors, the mixing of psychological well being assist programs, and the affect of the Finest Apply Highlight Group® (BPSO®) program in advancing psychological well being initiatives.
Notable audio system on the occasion embrace Dr. Grinspun, in addition to Jann Houston, the board chair of Road Well being, and different leaders within the psychological well being and substance use sectors. The summit will happen on the DoubleTree by Hilton Resort Toronto Airport W. in Mississauga, ON.
The Stronger Collectively Summit guarantees to be a major step in advancing the dialog round youth psychological well being, persevering with RNAO’s mission to reinforce the well-being of Ontario’s youngsters and youth by means of collaboration, schooling, and progressive programming.
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