Jessica Barry

Wednesday, October 7:00-9:00pm NST 
Memorial United Church, 13 Hill Road, Grand Falls-Windsor 

Symptoms of mental health issues often begin in adolescence, but it is alarming that many of these youth fail to receive treatment. As a result, mental illness continues to burden youth and their families. Prevention, early identification, and interventions for youth mental health will help these youth receive the best start in life.

Dr. Lisa Bishop (MUN School of Pharmacy) and Dr. Stephen Darcy (MUN Faculty of Medicine) will discuss how, recognizing the complex and sensitive nature of the issue, clinicians at a community health centre began an open dialogue with citizens to determine whether they perceived this issue to be a concern in the community. As a result of this dialogue, a community alliance of three organizations emerged, with the goal to develop a community action plan to address youth mental health and wellness. 

This presentation will discuss the issues related to youth mental health and highlight the team’s engagement efforts with the community. They will demonstrate the value of engaging a community in pursuit of their goals, and how these outreach efforts have become the foundation of their work.

The presentation will be followed by a panel of local leaders in the Exploits Valley Region, who will discuss existing and emerging initiatives tackling youth mental health issues in that area. 

DR. LISA BISHOP is a pharmacist and associate professor with the School of Pharmacy at Memorial University with a cross appointment to Memorial’s Discipline of Family Medicine. She has experience working as a pharmacist in hospital and community practice, and currently provides clinical pharmacist services at one of the Discipline of Family Medicine’s family practice clinics. Since 2012 she has been co-principal investigator on a community-based participatory research project in a small urban community. Along with an interdisciplinary team of health care providers and community representatives, their goal is to develop a community-based action plan to address youth mental health and wellness. She believes that community-based research is a more effective way to create public awareness. Much effort has been placed on engaging the community to ensure that they are developing a strategy that is appropriate to the community’s context and values.

DR. STEPHEN  J. DARCY is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Family Medicine at Memorial’s Medical school.  Since entering practice in 1992 he has worked in Grand Falls-Windsor, Gander  and New-Wes-Valley. He is most recently attached to the Shea Heights Health Centre in St. John’s. His areas of interest include Physician wellness, Addictions and Youth Mental Health.

Panelists:

DR. LYNETTE POWELL is a family physician in GFW. As a family physician, she is frequently involved in mental health issues involving youth. She represents a community action committee on Youth Mental health involving multiple stakeholders from health,education, justice, NGO’s, churches, and the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor. She is the current President of the Medical Staff Association of Central Newfoundland Regional Health centre, a position that has allowed her to advocate on this very important issue. She also holds several teaching and administrative roles with Memorial University of Newfoundland. 

SUE RODGERS is the School Health Promotion Liaison Consultant for Central Health and the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District.  She is a former physical education and french immersion teacher with a Masters in Education from the University of Victoria.  Sue has a vested interest in the health of students in her region.  In her spare time, she can be found training for the ironman triathlon and ultra marathons with her German Shepherd, Peter.

Presentations will be followed by a Q&A with the audience. 

Admission is free. Reception to follow.

Can't attend in person? Watch the live webcast at www.mun.ca/harriscentre