CHSPR Seminar | Characterizing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patterns of substance use and service utilization among youth accessing integrated youth services at Foundry BC

Kirsten Marchand, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Foundry BC and UBC
Julia Langton, Director for Research, Evaluation & Data, Foundry BC

Tuesday, Sept 13, 2022
12-1 pm PT
Virtual seminar (zoom)

Mental health and substance use (MHSU) affect one in four Canadian youth ages 12-24, and yet, youth experience significant gaps in access to care. These gaps have widened during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has simultaneously impacted youths’ mental health and wellbeing while making it more difficult to access services. In response to these gaps, integrated youth services (IYS) is an expanding model of care that aims to ensure youth have equitable access to the range of services they need, when they need them. This presentation will (1) provide an overview of IYS, research and evaluation at Foundry BC, and (2)present key findings from an ongoing study of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on youths’ patterns of substance use and service utilization.

Dr Kirsten Marchand is a Post-doctoral Research Fellow, MSHR BC/CHEOS Research Trainee, and SPPH alumni. Dr. Marchand’s multidisciplinary research aims to improve the quality of care for people with mental health and substance use concerns. Currently, Dr. Marchand’s mixed-methods research is focused on health service innovations for youth experiencing substance-related harms, including their design, implementation, and effectiveness.

Dr Julia Langton is the Director for Research, Evaluation & Data at Foundry BC. Prior to that she led the evaluation and impact analysis team at BC’s health research funding agency (Michael Smith Health Research BC; MSHR BC). She has extensive experience in applied health services research and developing and implementing performance measurement/evaluation frameworks.  She has led teams to develop evidence-informed communications products designed to enable learning and improve practice and policy including peer reviewed publications, reports, blogs, presentations, book chapters and web-resources.

This seminar will be conducted virtually via Zoom. Please contact Joyce (chspr.reception@ubc.ca) for the Zoom link.