Youth mental health program saves nearly $10 for every dollar invested
An innovative youth mental health service model can improve care and ease pressure on Canada's health care system, a new study led by researchers at McGill University demonstrates.
A Canadian study reveals that a youth mental health program called ACCESS Open Minds is cost-effective and improves care for young people with serious mental health issues. Published in The Lancet Psychiatry, the research led by McGill University found that the program saved the public health system $4,355 per patient annually, which works out to nearly $10 for every dollar invested.
Researchers compared nearly 1,500 young people who received care through ACCESS Open Minds in Edmonton with over 9,000 similar youth receiving traditional mental health services. Despite having greater baseline service use than traditional care recipients, those in the ACCESS Open Minds program relied less on expensive hospital, emergency, and residential treatment services after receiving care.
Lead author Dr. Jai Shah emphasized the importance of ensuring these accessible services remain available to young people with the greatest needs. As governments face rising healthcare costs, the findings provide valuable insights for future investments. The research team is now expanding the analysis to other ACCESS Open Minds sites across Canada.
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