Research to support the development of mental health and substance use services for young people (2021-2022)

Research has shown that some young people are not doing so well: the number of young people who use drugs has increased, the reduction in alcohol use among young people has stopped, and a small number of young people are getting involved in increasingly serious crime. The exceptional circumstances caused by the pandemic have increased the anxiety, depression and loneliness experienced by many young people. The purpose of this joint project by the Finnish Youth Research Network, the A-Clinic Foundation, MIELI Mental Health Finland and the Finnish Red Cross is to collate information about best practice and effective methods that are used in the social care and low-threshold services to support young people’s mental health. The project will also analyse transitions and interfaces between social and health care services, the education sector, and units offering low-threshold mental health services for young people under the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

The aim of the research project is to produce research data about developing collaboration and practices relating to mental health and substance use services for young people. The project is funded by the Government’s analysis, assessment and research activities (VN TEAS) and led by Research Manager Tuuli Pitkänen from the Finnish Youth Research Network.