Mental health screening is an important facet of primary care. This study examines the implications of using an electronic form (eForm) in medical offices when completing mental health assessments. A cross-sectional study was conducted using survey data from primary care patients (n = 4,879) regarding their experience using a tablet to complete mental health assessment forms during their appointment. This study investigated patients’ perception of their honesty and preferences when completing forms electronically. Nearly 40% of respondents stated they were able to be more honest when answering the questions digitally compared with a face-to-face interaction with their clinician. This research provides evidence of a potential benefit of digitally enhanced mental health screening.

The efforts of Indigenous Mental Health and/or Substance Use and Addictions care Programs (IMHSUAP) to adopt cultural safety, such as integrating Indigenous practices with Western biomedicine, are constrained by systemic barriers such as colonial funding structures. The following case studies explore the experiences of IMHSUAP with their funders and funding arrangements while leveraging their recommendations to improve these relationships. Participants outlined the inconsistent support from non-Indigenous funders relative to those that were Indigenous-led, the complexity created by “Status” definition and Band Council systems, the difference in remunerating Indigenous and Western knowledge, and the need for a more streamlined and centralized access to funding.

Limited research has explored teen mothers’ experiences with accessing and receiving mental health services, particularly in the Canadian context. This qualitative study explored barriers and facilitators to accessing mental health services in Edmonton, Alberta through interviews with teen mothers (n = 5) and therapists (n = 3). Teen mothers reported experiences influenced by societal stigma, competing responsibilities, and systemic challenges. According to participants, mental health services that are flexible, relational, and responsive to the unique needs of teen parents can facilitate access. The findings highlight the need for professional development opportunities for therapists focused on teen families’ unique circumstances and experiences.

Nine rural youth from the West Coast of Newfoundland were interviewed using a semi-structured guide to explore factors that influenced their decision-making about alcohol consumption. Participants reported they had previously consumed alcohol for several reasons, including to have fun, cope with various hardships, or to avoid peer pressure. In contrast, learning about the dangers of alcohol, keeping busy, and having a safe place to go when peer pressured helped participants avoid or consume less alcohol. Participants also discussed how alcohol education could best be offered to youth. Implications and recommendations for youth alcohol prevention and harm reduction are discussed.

Growing research has sought to understand non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) stigma. To build on this literature, we qualitatively explored what young adults with lived experience of NSSI believed contributed to its stigmatization. Participants (n = 97) were asked open-ended online questions about what they perceived as contributing to NSSI stigma, which were then analysed via reflexive thematic analysis. Resultant themes indicated that participants believe stigma stems from people, who do not self-injure, misunderstanding self-injury as attention-seeking or conflate it with suicide; they also believe that the media may play a role in this regard (e.g., glamourization, inaccurate portrayals of recovery). Findings offer initial support for a recent theoretical framework for NSSI stigma and point to several implications, which are discussed.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant concern on college campuses. Anticipated judgments and negative responses from others may prevent young adults from disclosing NSSI and obtaining help. As this area is poorly understood, the current study qualitatively explored the views of 279 college students (aged 18–25) with a history of NSSI regarding their peers’ perceptions of NSSI. Participants completed an online survey, including open-ended questions addressing anticipated NSSI stigma. These were thematically analyzed, yielding three themes: Perceived Greater Acceptance, Perceived Limited Understanding, and Persistent Stereotypes and Stigma. Results have implications for anti-stigma initiatives and lay groundwork for further work in this new area.

This study evaluated PATHS2Home (P2H), a Housing First program in Canada, through qualitative interviews and focus groups with 34 program staff, participants, and partners. Results showed successful implementation with participant satisfaction, strong program design and leadership, skilled staff, positive service system relationships, effective housing support, and fidelity to the Housing First (HF) model. Challenges included skepticism of the program model, communication with partners, staff turnover, and systemic factors such as affordable housing availability. Overall, the evaluation showed successful implementation of the P2H program in line with HF principles and identified several areas for improvement to better support participants and achieve program goals.

Socioecological models are commonly used by researchers, practitioners, and educators in mental health because these models acknowledge the environmental influences of well-being and help to inform the development of multipronged intervention strategies. However, their versatility and variety of uses in mental health and community psychology have presented challenges for researchers in defining the boundaries and acceptability of socioecological approaches. In this commentary, we provide an overview of socioecological approaches, describe some common applications, provide guidance for investigators seeking to use these models, and call for greater transparency in reporting to enhance its use in community psychology and mental health inquiries.

This article outlines the planning, implementation, and evaluation of Nova Scotia Health’s first province-wide centralized intake services for both mental health and addictions. The key steps in the planning phase included stakeholder identification, current state assessment and system design. The service was then successfully implemented, leveraging dedicated training and support resources for managers and staff. The results of the evaluation suggest that the intake service reduced wait times for mental health and addiction intake assessments by 60%. Moreover, clinicians found the assessments useful in understanding their clients, while clients reported that the intake experience was supportive, although the response rate was low.