TY - JOUR
AU - J. C. Hews-Girard
AU - E. Cullen
AU - M. Singh
AU - R. Perry
AU - K. Brill
AU - N. Taylor
AU - M. Munson
AU - S. Barbic
AU - J. Henderson
AU - S. Cronin
AU - M. Harley
AU - V. Salt
AU - N. J. Parker
AU - L. Urichuk
AU - S. Iyer
AU - G. Dimitropoulos
A1 - 
AB - To mitigate barriers to care among youth (12-25 years), community-based organizations have increasingly integrated peer support as a complement to clinical mental health care; however, information regarding the integration process is lacking. To explore organizational perspectives regarding the contexts and mechanisms underlying integration of peer support for youth accessing mental health services from community-based, youth-serving organizations. Representatives from community-based youth-serving organizations completed a survey describing the contexts in which they are located and their experiences integrating peer support. Text responses were analyzed using directed content analysis. 21 organizations serving youth aged 11-29 years responded. Three generic categories were identified: 1) Context is key and safe environments, 2) Supportive organizations and valuing lived experience, 3) Benefits for peer support providers and receivers and purposeful integration into the organization. Peer support integration requires valuing of the lived experience of peers and creation of a safe organizational environment.
AD - The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.; Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada.; Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.; PolicyWise for Children & Families, Edmonton, AB, Canada.; Silver School of Social Work, NYU, New York, NY, USA.; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver British Columbia, Canada.; Foundry Central Office, Providence Health Care, Vancouver British Columbia, Canada.; Youth and Family Mental Health, Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Frayme, Ottawa, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal Quebec, Canada.; The Douglas Research Center, Montreal Quebec, Canada.; Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada. gdimit@ucalgary.ca.; The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. gdimit@ucalgary.ca.; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada. gdimit@ucalgary.ca.
AN - 39775430
BT - Community Ment Health J
C5 - Healthcare Disparities; Education & Workforce
CP - 5
DA - Jul
DO - 10.1007/s10597-024-01440-x
DP - NLM
ET - 20250107
IS - 5
JF - Community Ment Health J
LA - eng
N2 - To mitigate barriers to care among youth (12-25 years), community-based organizations have increasingly integrated peer support as a complement to clinical mental health care; however, information regarding the integration process is lacking. To explore organizational perspectives regarding the contexts and mechanisms underlying integration of peer support for youth accessing mental health services from community-based, youth-serving organizations. Representatives from community-based youth-serving organizations completed a survey describing the contexts in which they are located and their experiences integrating peer support. Text responses were analyzed using directed content analysis. 21 organizations serving youth aged 11-29 years responded. Three generic categories were identified: 1) Context is key and safe environments, 2) Supportive organizations and valuing lived experience, 3) Benefits for peer support providers and receivers and purposeful integration into the organization. Peer support integration requires valuing of the lived experience of peers and creation of a safe organizational environment.
PY - 2025
SN - 0010-3853
SP - 994
EP - 1004+
ST - Identifying 'Where' and 'How' Peer Support for Youth is Integrated into Community-Based Mental Health Services: A Survey Study
T1 - Identifying 'Where' and 'How' Peer Support for Youth is Integrated into Community-Based Mental Health Services: A Survey Study
T2 - Community Ment Health J
TI - Identifying 'Where' and 'How' Peer Support for Youth is Integrated into Community-Based Mental Health Services: A Survey Study
U1 - Healthcare Disparities; Education & Workforce
U3 - 10.1007/s10597-024-01440-x
VL - 61
VO - 0010-3853
Y1 - 2025
ER -