scholarly journals The Substance Abuse Program for African-Canadian and Caribbean Youth (SAPACCY): An Innovative Program Serving the Mental Health Needs of African, Caribbean, and Black Youth

INYI Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Gajaria ◽  
Kevin Haynes ◽  
Yolanda Kosic ◽  
Donna Alexander
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Black Youth ◽  
Substance Abuse Program ◽  
Problematic Substance Use ◽  
Innovative Program ◽  
African Caribbean ◽  
Problematic Substance ◽  
African Canadian

Black youth experience disproportionately poor health outcomes throughout Ontario's healthcare system, including the mental health and addictions system. The Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth (SAPACCY) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) seeks to address this disparity by providing clinical services to youth who identify as Black and/or as having African and/or Caribbean heritage, and their families, who are struggling with problematic substance use and/or mental health concerns. The clinical team works from an Afrocentric, culturally responsive lens to promote recovery and support Black youth in working through their mental health and addiction concerns. The program offers mental health and addictions counselling and psychotherapy, psychiatric consultation, psychoeducation, resource navigation, advocacy, and case management services to assist youth and their families/caregivers in reducing harm, moving toward recovery, and making healthy choices for themselves and their family. This paper will discuss SAPACCY’s approach to helping clients build resilience and resistance to anti-Black racism.  

Homelessness, Mental Health Afflictions, Problematic Substance Use, and Associated Criminality

2021 ◽  
pp. 258-287
Author(s):  
Jayesh D'Souza
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged ◽  
Transformative Justice ◽  
Government Response ◽  
Substance Use Problems ◽  
Problematic Substance Use ◽  
Problematic Substance ◽  
Justice Model ◽  
Sheer Number

Homelessness and related community ailments have plagued society for a number of years, and governments have found it difficult to get these under control. The sheer number of homeless with mental health afflictions and problematic substance use problems leaves no doubt about the need for a stronger, more urgent government response. Community ailments such as these have led to increased crime rates and incarcerations and overcrowded prisons without a lasting solution in sight. This chapter uses the transformative justice model, with the expectation it produces better results than current models, by examining the source of homelessness, mental health afflictions, and problematic substance use and their bi-directional relationship with crime. This inter-jurisdictional study compares the current situations in the state of California and the province of Ontario, which have a high percent of homeless populations. It proves that special attention to vulnerable populations such as racialized groups, the socioeconomically disadvantaged, and youth is warranted.

scholarly journals PSYCHOSOCIAL RISKS FOR MENTAL HEALTH DURING A PANDEMIC

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 65-70
Author(s):  
Sergey Igumnov
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
World Health ◽  
Psychosocial Risks ◽  
Problematic Substance Use ◽  
The World ◽  
Problematic Substance ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Health Organization

During the pandemic, many countries go through a period of so-called “self-isolation” or quarantine, during which people are forced for a long time not to see their loved ones, not to visit places of importance to them and experiencing constant anxiety and un­certainty due to changing living conditions. This has had a very negative impact on most people’s mental state. Analyzing data from many countries around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) notes that the fear, loneliness, isolation, stress and anxiety experienced by all people during the COVID-19 pan­demic can cause great mental health problems and countries need to be prepared for them. Metaanalysis of studies evaluating the prevalence of mental and behavioral disorders, self-harming behavior, acts of family violence, and problematic substance use in the COVID-19 pandemic show that depression, drug and alcohol addiction, self-harm and suicidal behavior are expected to increase, requiring increased prepa­redness by mental health services.

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