Global Mental Health Leaders Convene in Canada to Address the Root Causes of the Youth Mental Health Crisis

Canadian charity Jack.org, the International Association for Youth Mental Health, and partners will lead Vancouver conference on March 18th-21st to develop a blueprint for global action on youth mental health

/EIN News/ -- TORONTO, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today’s youth mental health crisis is the leading health issue impacting the lives and futures of young people, and it has reached a critical juncture. Across the globe, the mental health of young people has steadily declined for over a decade, with insufficient focus on the prevention of mental distress among young people and meaningful collaboration between countries to address the crisis. In response, a global coalition of leading youth mental health organizations and experts, led by Canadian charity Jack.org and the International Association for Youth Mental Health (IAYMH), will join forces in Vancouver this March to bring research, best practices, and lived-experience together to create an action plan for global change.

Turning the Tide: Creating a global blueprint for prevention and integrated care in Youth Mental Health will explore the realm of prevention of youth mental distress — a potentially transformative, though under-supported, approach to ending the current crisis youth are facing. Mental ill health often starts to appear as early as 15 years, with 75% of onsets occurring before age 25, making adolescence and young adulthood a critical time for establishing the mental hygiene routines that not only prevent the worst outcomes, but set youth up with routines and structures to lead healthy, happy lives.

The conference will bring together leaders from across the world to exchange the latest research and best practices, explore tactics to better support prevention and integrated care in youth mental health, and foster strong relationships between organizations working to improve the health and wellbeing of young people globally. This event will also spotlight the expertise of young people, whose perspectives and experiences are often missing from the conversation, but who are at the forefront of both living the mental health crisis and changing it.

“The youth mental health crisis is one of the most pressing issues facing us today. We cannot be complacent as our young people languish in mental distress, especially because we know that education and intervention works,” said Vivien Glencross, Interim President & CEO of Jack.org. “We look forward to gathering with this group of global leaders to learn from other jurisdictions, share important knowledge, and be a spark for global attention and action.”

“It is with great enthusiasm that the International Association for Youth Mental Health gathers in the vibrant city of Vancouver to explore and shape the future of youth mental health care. Vancouver is located within the unceded, ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We acknowledge that Vancouver is now home to many diverse First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples who continue to care for these lands,” said Professor Barbara Dooley of the International Association for Youth Mental Health.

“The IAYMH 2025 conference represents a pivotal moment in our efforts to transform how we support the mental health and wellbeing of young people worldwide. ‘Turning the Tide’ signifies our collective ambition to reverse the growing mental health challenges faced by youth. Over three days, we will engage in rich discussions, share innovative research & practice, and foster collaborations that transcend borders. Our conference is uniquely designed with young people at the heart of its planning and delivery, ensuring their voices and experiences guide our journey towards more effective and compassionate mental health services.”

To learn more about or register for the conference, visit https://iaymh2025.org/about-iaymh/.

About Jack.org
Jack.org is a Canadian charity that works with young people across Canada to teach mental health fundamentals, reduce stigma, foster peer-to-peer connections, and build communities of belonging to help young people own their mental health journeys. Through its core programs—Jack Talks, Jack Chapters, and Be There—Jack.org equips young people with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to navigate mental health struggles and build a strong foundation for mental well-being. Learn more at www.jack.org.

About the International Association for Youth Mental Health
The IAYMH’s mission is to change the way the global community thinks about young people and their mental health. They do this by ensuring youth mental health services are appropriate to a young person’s age and stage of development, and that young people have an active voice in determining what is best for them. Every two years, the IAYMH hosts an international conference in a different global city. Unlike traditional medical research conferences, the IAYMH event is planned and delivered in partnership with young people. The conference will stimulate debate on the key areas of focus, which IAYMH aims to deliver on such as: ensuring mental health services are more responsive to the health needs of young people across the world; promoting public and professional interest in the mental health and wellbeing of young people aged 12–25; striving for systems change that delivers an age and stage appropriate service response for young people, their families and carers; fostering international collaboration and communication between individuals and organisations working to improve the health and wellbeing of young people; and highlighting new research and best practice in the youth mental health field.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Kim Garcia
Manager, Media Relations
kim@jack.org