As primary care providers in Ontario, you see it every day: kids and teens struggling with their mental health. The immediate impact is hard to miss, but the long-term effects? They’re just as serious, and they often unfold quietly over years.

The Stats Are Clear

About 1 in 5 children and youth in Ontario are living with a mental health challenge, with 70% of all mental health disorders starting in childhood or adolescence. These aren’t just stats, they represent real kids whose futures could look very different with the right support, at the right time.

What Happens If We Miss It?

When mental health concerns go untreated, the effects don’t just fade away, they often result in detrimental developmental outcomes in young adulthood.

• School Struggles → Trouble focusing, falling behind, disengaging. This can all snowball into lost academic and career opportunities.
• Long-Term Health → Ongoing stress from mental health issues can lead to physical health problems later on.
• Relationships & Belonging → Difficulty building healthy relationships often leads to social isolation and reduced well-being in adulthood.
• Economic Impact → Poor mental health in youth can affect employment, increase healthcare use, and lead to greater reliance on social services down the line.

How Primary Care Can Change the Story

As a trusted first point of contact, you play a huge role in catching concerns early. A quick check-in during a well-child visit could be the moment that puts a child on a healthier path. Early identification means earlier support, which can reduce the need for more intensive intervention later.

Your conversations matter. Your questions matter. And your ability to spot concerns early is one of the most powerful tools we have.

Tools for Identification

There are several tools and resources available to help you identify mental health concerns in children and youth:

• HEADS-ED: This is an easy-to-use screening tool that guides assessment, referral, and discussion of patient/client clinical needs among healthcare providers using a common action-oriented language. There are two versions: HEADS-ED Under 6 (from birth to 6th birthday) and HEADS-ED Over 6 (age 6-21 years old).
• Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A): This is a self-report questionnaire designed for individuals aged 11 to 17 years to assess anxiety, mood, eating, and substance use disorders. It offers an acceptable and efficient tool for early detection and recognition of mental health concerns and is available and validated in multiple languages.
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale-7 (GAD-7): This is a seven-item diagnostic tool for generalized anxiety disorder. It can be used for individuals aged 11 and older, is available and validated in multiple languages, and is based on DSM-IV criteria for identifying likely cases of GAD.
• Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ): This is a screening tool for depression in children and young people aged 6 to 19. It consists of 33 descriptive phrases regarding how the children and youth have been feeling and acting recently.
• Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS): This is a 47-item, youth self-report questionnaire with subscales for various anxiety disorders (separation anxiety disorder, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder) and low mood (major depressive disorder). The RCADS can be completed by individuals aged 8 to 18 years.

Recommending the Right Help: One Stop Talk/Parlons Maintenant (OST/PM)

If you suspect a child is struggling with mental health issues, connecting them to the right help quickly is crucial. One Stop Talk/Parlons Maintenant (OST/PM) is a virtual and confidential counselling service that provides immediate access to mental health support and optimal ongoing services for children, youth, and families across Ontario.

OST/PM is a valuable resource for your patients:

• Free and Accessible: This service provides immediate access to mental health support when needed, offering after-hours access, including evenings and weekends. No appointment is required.
• Qualified Professionals: There are over 80 registered therapists providing counselling.
• Language Accessibility: It primarily offers services in English and French, and interpretation services are available in over 200 languages, including ASL.
• Family-Centered Approach: Parents/caregivers are welcome to connect to the service with their child to ensure access.
• Inclusivity: Support is available regardless of race, orientation, origin, or identity.

By leveraging resources like OST/PM and implementing supportive strategies in your practice, you can play a pivotal role in ensuring children and youth in Ontario receive the mental health support they need and deserve. Learn more about OST/PM and when to recommend it to your patients in this free, 15-minute course, Child and Youth Mental Health: Identification and Support Strategies.