ICES Scorecard on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addiction

Briefing Note
ICES Scorecard on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addiction
June 7, 2017

OVERVIEW

On June 6, 2017 the Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Studies (ICES) issued The Mental Health of Children and Youth in Ontario, 2017 Scorecard.

The Scorecard presents key findings on child and youth mental health and addiction care and related outcomes in Ontario based on 2014 data. The indicators reported in the 2017 scorecard are focused predominantly on care provided in outpatient physician and acute care settings. Additionally, the Scorecard reports on 13 new performance indicators developed by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services for the community-based child and youth mental health sector and on a pilot project that integrated data from one community-based child and youth mental health agency to health administrative data.

KEY FINDINGS

The demand for mental health and addictions services among Ontarians under the age of 25 has increased significantly in recent years.Between 2006 and 2014, there has been:

• A 25% increase in the rate of mental health and addictions-related outpatient physician visits.
• A 40% increase in visits to psychiatrists.
• A 56% increase in the rate of mental health and addictions-related hospital admissions.
   

Youth aged 18 – 21 had the highest rate seen in Emergency Department (ED) visits. Anxiety was the leading reason for ED visits.Mental health and addictions visits to primary care physicians and psychiatrists were highest among youth aged 22 – 24.

The rate of children and youth who revisit the emergency department within 30 days has increased by 18% in 12 years; and 33% more children and youth are visiting the emergency department within 30 days of inpatient discharge. These findings strongly suggest that children and youth are not able to gain access to appropriate community-based services and supports.

Geographic disparities in access to care are enormous. For example, half the patients discharged from a hospital in downtown Toronto had a follow-up visit with a physician within 7 days; in Northwestern Ontario, fewer than 20% do.

The full report, a summary and an infographic summary of the report is available on ICES’ website here.