You’ve probably heard – 1 in 5 Ontario children/youth have a mental health issue.
Is that number still true? We don’t know. That number came from the last Ontario Child Health Study, conducted in 1983. Thirty years ago the world was a very different place. The largest and most comprehensive study on child and youth mental health that has ever been done in Ontario is now underway. The 2014 Ontario Child Health Study, conducted by Statistics Canada, is inviting more than 13,500 families with children and youth aged 4-17 years living in 180 communities to participate.
In addition, more than 200 schools from these same communities are being invited to participate in the School Mental Health Surveys, conducted by McMaster University. This companion study is examining the link between schools and student mental health.
The information gathered through both studies will provide a more complete overview of our children and youth than ever before.
You can read more about the 2014 OCHS project on the EENet website.