Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (YWHO) was created to address gaps in the youth service system in Ontario. The provincial family advisory council’s goal is to embed family voice within the YWHO initiative and to support local YWHO hubs with their family engagement efforts. The Provincial Family Advisory Council is in the process of creating a set of guiding documents, resources and/or supports for local hubs to embed family voice within their hubs. As family members who have experience assisting their children or youth to access the Ontario mental health care system, they want to ensure that these guiding documents reflect the perspectives of families and youth.
This workshop will briefly outline the process of how a provincial family advisory is supporting local hub efforts, and will showcase a list of guiding documents/resources that are being developed to do so. Participants will have the opportunity to provide feedback and input, and to offer their own experiences on how they embed family voice within their own integrated youth service.
Presenters and slide deck
Kelli Dilworth
Kelli Dilworth (she/her) lives in a small town near Ottawa. Collaboration is a key part of Kelli’s work; she works with youth, families and staff from many different agencies, sectors and care settings to align efforts to work towards improving outcomes for Ontario's children, youth and families. In her current role as a knowledge broker with the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health, and part of the backbone team of Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario, Kelli helps support provincial and local engagement efforts. She coordinates the Provincial Family Advisory Committee, where she is aims to be an authentic and effective support to those who are working passionately to make things better for youth and families in the child and youth mental health sector.
Sheryl Mitchell
Sheryl has worked at hospitals and health service organizations developing and managing health information and communication programs for consumers. She currently spends her time advocating for improved mental health services for families and their loved ones. You can find her answering the information line and facilitating family support groups at Hope+Me: Mood Disorders Association of Ontario, and lending her voice to the family advisory committees of organizations such as Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario, Ontario Caregiver Organization and the Reach Out Response Network.
Kelly-Lynn Musico
Kelly-Lynn graduated from the University of Toronto and is a Registered Physiotherapist and Registered Yoga Teacher. She began her career in the hospital sector before starting her own private physiotherapy business over 20 years ago. She has a broad variety of experience within the hospital, home care, school, and private sectors. Kelly-Lynn is passionate about physical literacy, mental health literacy and the youth in our communities. She has volunteered extensively over the past 30 years and held numerous committee and board positions in the areas of youth, education, mental health, and family engagement. As a family member with lived experience, she currently sits on the Centre of Excellence’s Strategic Advisory Council and Family Advisory Council, Youth Wellness Hub Provincial Family Advisory Council, Local Family Advisory Council and a National Mental Health Research Project. She and her husband, Craig, are blessed with three young adult children and live an active lifestyle in beautiful Bright’s Grove, Ontario.
Key Learnings
- This presentation provided information about how Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario's Provincial Family Advisory Council is supporting family voice in a youth-driven integrated youth services model.
- The presentation provided the opportunity for participants to provide perspective/voice into how local hubs YWHO can support family engagement recruitment.