PRISM-ACCESS Open Minds

Pathway for Rapid, Internet-based, Self-referral to Mental health services for youth

Project Summary
PRISM-ACCESS Open Minds is a services research project conducted in collaboration with the ACCESS Open Minds pan-Canadian network for youth mental health service transformation, community organizations (e.g., Kids Help Phone, mindyourmind), and Canadian-based health technology companies.

PRISM-AOM aims to develop, implement, and evaluate the use of an online self-referral pathway to facilitate rapid and direct access to mental health services for youth. 

Through this pathway, youth with mental health concerns will be able to connect with, and refer themselves directly to a local team specializing in youth mental health care using their phone, computer, or tablet. Parents and service providers will also be able to refer a young person to mental health services via PRISM-AOM. Clinicians will be able to triage, track, and manage referrals through a secured platform.

PRISM-AOM will be customized, launched, and tested in several Canadian healthcare settings participating in the ACCESS Open Minds network.  

Contact person
Shalini Lal, Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc.O.T. (Reg.QC)
Email: ymhtechlab@gmail.com

Partners and funders
The project received competitive funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) through the eHealth Innovations Partnership Program (eHIPP) awarded to Dr. Shalini Lal. The project also received additional funding from the Graham Boeckh Foundation. Key partners include: ACCESS Open Minds, Strata Health Solutions, Youth and Family representatives, Tickit Health, Kids Help Phone, Wisdom2Action, and mindyourmind.