2016 MPA Annual Conference: Collaborative Approaches for Children and Youth

There are children and youth with physical conditions who also have a co-existing mental health condition. These children and youth seek help, often unsuccessfully, for these diverse range of symptoms at the same time. While their experiences are unique, many of their stories share a common theme. They share about feeling unheard, misunderstood, overwhelmed and hopeless. 

Children and youth experience symptoms that often impact their family lives, schooling, home, and recreational activities. This is why collaborative approaches for their care are so important. This includes collaborations between hospital and community care; paediatric and adult services; and medical and mental health systems of care.

If you play a role with children or teens who experience these types of health concerns, we invite you to attend this year’s Medical Psychiatry Alliance Annual Conference. Be a part of defining what successful collaborative care looks like. In order to make a difference, everyone needs to work together.

Conference Participants will have opportunities to: 

• learn with and from children/tyouh and their families about their experiences
• participate in discussions about what successful collaborative approaches look like
• learn about innovative models of collaboration and other local, provincial and national initiatives
• network with other participants over lunch and the afternoon break

The Medical Psychiatry Alliance (MPA), is a collaborative partnership, the first-of-its-kind in Canada, whose goal is to transform the delivery of mental health services for patients who experience co-existing mental and physical illnesses, through integrated inter-professional clinical, education and research activities. Follow us on Twitter @MedPsychNews or visit our website for more information.

CALL FOR POSTERS

The Conference will include a poster session focusing on children and youth with co-existing physical and mental health conditions to share knowledge about the work being conducted across the Child and Youth system and to promote opportunities for collaboration. Authors are invited to submit a poster abstract showcasing their work on promoting mental health, supporting the eradication of mental health stigma, increasing community awareness of mental health challenges, increasing patient advocacy from mental health professionals, providers, patients and families and increasing patient participation in mental health treatment, research and education (no longer than 500 words).

Important Dates:

August 1, 2016 - Deadline to Submit Abstracts
September 1, 2016 - Notification of Acceptance

For more information and to register, visit the Medical Psychiatry Alliance Annual Conference website.