Substance iNtervention for Adolescents Program (SNAP) will provide early identification and intervention to address concerning substance use in youth, aged 10 to 18 years old
Why We are Taking Action
Canada's teen vaping rates and teen cannabis use rates are among the highest in the world
Nearly one quarter of Canadian adolescents 15 to 19 years old are consuming enough alcohol to put them at risk for chronic effects
The disease burden of mental illness and substance use in Ontario is 1.5 times higher than all cancers put together and more than seven times that of all infectious diseases
Every day at least one youth presents to Children's Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre's (LHSC) Emergency Department due to substance use
“It is estimated that 10- 20% of children and adolescents struggle with mental health issues. Although half of all mental health disorders start by age 14, most remain undetected and untreated. In the general adolescent population, substance use and addictions and suicide were the issues of greatest concern. While all adolescent sub-populations are affected by mental health issues, LGBTQ2S+ and racialized youth appear to carry the greatest burden. A review of young key populations, defined by the authors as men who have sex with men and transgender people, found that they were more likely to initiate substance use at an earlier age, engage in polysubstance use, and to experience more rapid increases in substance use over time.”
Intervening Early Protects our Children's Futures
How SNAP will Work:
SNAP will Target Two Populations
Implementing a screening tool across Children’s Hospital, LHSC and an expert SNAP team will provide a pathway for youth at risk of substance use disorders to find the proper help they need; and for those already struggling with substance use disorders, the SNAP team will be foundational in positively addressing and treating the disorder.
Thus, SNAP will provide support for two populations:
Ambulatory patients who self-report, through a hospital-wide screening tool, high risk substance use disorder behaviours, especially with marginalized populations (low socioeconomic status, homeless, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQiA+, co-morbidities)
Patients admitted to hospital with clear repercussions of substance use disorder
Changes SNAP will Create
As the regional referral centre for Southwestern Ontario, Children’s Hospital, LHSC has a unique opportunity to meet adolescents at risk of developing substance use disorders early in the disease process and provide comprehensive and life‐changing intervention. The impact of this unique program will be significant for families and youths’ futures, driving changes such as:
- Increased ability for adolescents to receive help in addressing concerning substance use
- Reduced substance use-related health issues in adolescents due to early detection and intervention
- Reduced burden on ongoing services, as SNAP will be helping providers to receive less acute patients who are more motivated to make changes
- Decreased family stress as patients receive system navigation support and care months or years sooner
