Youth journeys in mental health: Invoking unique patient perspectives

Abstract

We know much about the alarming trends in youth mental health; however, we know far less about the journeys that Canadian youth are taking toward better mental health. This article begins with a conceptual synthesis of the literature about the ways in which scholars are invoking the journeys of youth. We then present two examples of youth journeys in mental health from our current Atlantic Canada Children's Effective Service Strategies in Mental Health project (ACCESS-MH) and conclude that journey approaches to youth mental health research could support the implementation of Canada's mental health strategy in unique and crucial ways.