Monday, October 2, 2017: The Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C. held a panel discussion on youth mental health (“Mental Health: Youth in Transition”) organized jointly by the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, USA). This event highlighted the importance that the Canadian federal government, as well as its scientific bodies, are attaching to the issue of youth mental health. It was also a first effort towards building a more formal collaboration between the INMHA and NIMH, initiated by the newly-appointed Scientific Director of INMHA, Dr. Sam Weiss, in collaboration with the Director of the NIMH, Dr. Josh Gordon.

The panel was composed of two clinician scientists, Dr. Susan Chatwood (Executive and Scientific Director, Institute for Circumpolar Health Research; Canada) and Dr. Ashok Malla (McGill University and ACCESS Open Minds; Canada), as well as American colleagues Dr. Richard McKeon (Chief, Suicide Prevention Branch, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and Dr. Maryland Pao (Clinical Director and Deputy Scientific Director, NIMH).

ACCESS Open Minds featured prominently in the panel discussion alongside discussions of other issues related to youth mental health, including suicide, the mental health of Indigenous youth, and the mental health of medically ill children and youth. Ian Boeckh, President of the Graham Boeckh Foundation, spoke at the reception following the panel discussion. Mr. Boeckh’s invitation and participation is a clear indication of the recognition that different levels of the scientific community and of governments recognize the GBF’s commitment to the cause of youth mental health, both across Canada and globally.

For more information…

If you would like additional information about this event, please contact ACCESS Open Minds.