An estimated 95,000 children in BC are likely experiencing a mental health disorder at any given time, yet only about half of them receive the support they need, highlighting the urgent need to reevaluate how care is delivered in BC. The onset of a mental health condition can significantly affect child development, with 50-70% of mental illnesses emerging before the age of 18. Alarmingly, since 2013, there has been an increase in the number of self-reported cases of anxiety, ADHD, and suicidal ideation among young people.

Doctors of BC’s new policy paper, Improving Child and Youth Mental Health Care, calls for reviewing the current structure of BC’s mental health care system and the development of concrete and tangible steps to enhance care and improve access for children and youth. As outlined in the mandate letters issued to the Minister of Health and Minister of Children and Family Development, realignment and improvement of services that support children and youth with mental health concerns is needed. Our position forms the foundation for Doctors of BC’s advocacy efforts to strengthen mental health services for children and youth.

The new recommendations build on Doctors of BC’s 2014 policy paper, Reaching Out: Supporting Youth Mental Health in British Columbia, and emphasize ways to improve the current system, highlighting the importance of early intervention and underscoring the urgent need to:

  • Develop a child and youth mental health framework outlining a system of care that includes tangible targets and measures to improve access to timely, effective, and culturally safe care, including navigational and transitional supports and services.
  • Develop a concrete action plan with sufficient and sustainable funding and resourcing to implement the prevention and early intervention commitments outlined in the Mental Health in Schools Strategy and the BC’s Population and Public Health Framework.

The full policy statement, which was informed by physician and partner input, provides further details, including our own commitments to support progress in this vital area.

Doctors of BC policy

Learn more about Doctors of BC’s position on various health care issues, such as administrative burdens, digital health, and health system reform, in our Policy Database. If you would like to share your thoughts on child and youth mental health care, please contact us.