Youth suicide in Canada is a complex, tragic, and sadly, prevalent issue. It is the first health-related cause of death amongst young people aged 15 to 24 in Canada.
The Ontario Youth Suicide Prevention Life Promotion Collaborative was formed to ensure a continued and integrated focus on youth life promotion and suicide prevention in Ontario.
Research indicates there are some promising practices in youth life promotion and suicide prevention, however, these practices are often operating in silos, and do not take a full community approach to addressing underlying issues of youth mental health issues and suicide ideation.
To continue to build on the lessons learned and capacity built via the Youth Suicide Prevention Program (2013-2016), several provincial organizations and stakeholders convened in the fall of 2018 to discuss ways of leveraging their expertise and existing practices to effect meaningful, upstream change within priority determinants of health for youth in Ontario.
The Collaborative is presently comprised of diverse stakeholders with expertise in suicide prevention and life promotion including those from provincial organizations, educational institutions, individuals and family members with lived experience, and organizations representing youth populations.
The Ontario Youth Suicide Prevention and Life Promotion Collaborative members include:
- Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario (Acting as the Secretariat)
- Canadian Mental Health Association, Waterloo Wellington
- Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health
- Children’s Mental Health Ontario
- Jack.org
- Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions
- Mental Health Commission of Canada
- Myles Ahead, Advancing Child and Youth Mental Health
- School Mental Health Ontario
As new research and best practices in youth suicide prevention and life promotion emerge, the YSPLP is working to develop an enhanced community-based approach to providing care for youth in Ontario. YSPLP works to provide direct support and relevant evidence-based knowledge to service providers to ensure all youth are getting the best standard of mental health care in Ontario.
Together, we will strengthen youth suicide prevention and life promotion efforts in Ontario by mobilizing research knowledge and our collective expertise.
Read our reports
- School-based suicide prevention life promotion initiatives: A resource for community-based providers
- Postvention across settings and sectors: A resource for community-based service providers
For more information on how to access child and youth services visit Children’s Mental Health Ontario’s website.