Principal Investigator: Monica Ruiz-Casares
Co-Investigators: L. Lach, C. Rousseau, R. Sullivan, N. Carrey, B. Wong
Funding Source: Mental Health Commission of Canada
Period: 2011–2012
Our research team is collaborating with and advising the Child and Youth Advisory Committee of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (CYAC-MHCC) in the development of a family-centered framework on parental mental health education and support for parents of adolescents that is relevant to families from diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds. To inform the development of the framework, the research team has conducted an extensive review of domestic and international literature pertaining to parent education, information and support programs as well as an environmental scan of agency practices across Canada, each of which address methods of supporting parents of adolescents; individual interviews with selected stakeholders completed the latter. The framework will be tested across the country through focus group discussions and an online survey with a diverse group of families. Results from the group discussions will help refine the final framework and inform the development of a draft plan for its future piloting and evaluation. Three graduate students at McGill were hired to assist with the literature review and environmental scan. An Advisory Committee was set up across the country.