Satisfaction With Youth Mental Health Services in Diverse Settings: Results From a Pan-Canadian Initiative

Increasing concern about youth mental health has brought interest in service reform. Given the importance of positive care experiences, the authors aimed to study rates of satisfaction, as well as characteristics associated with satisfaction, in ACCESS Open Minds, a cocreated network of enhanced primary and community youth mental health services across Canada.

A total of 482 youths receiving services at 10 ACCESS Open Minds sites (urban, rural, and Indigenous) completed the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-4 and responded to additional demographic and service use questions.

Ninety-one percent of youths were satisfied with their mental health services, substantially higher than the predefined goal of 75%. Youths who preferred virtual services (23%) were less satisfied than those who preferred in-person services.

The findings are comparable with those from similar initiatives, highlighting the value of youth-friendly, holistic primary mental health care. High satisfaction across sociodemographic groups and sites suggests that such services are acceptable in diverse communities.