Mapping the navigation of mental health services: a planning proposal for catalyzing innovation with service navigation through collaborative research

The COVID-19 pandemic and its public health measures have taken a toll on the mental health of Canadians. However, many barriers exist that prevent Canadians from accessing the mental health supports and services they need. One barrier is the challenge of navigating how and where to receive care. Navigation was identified by Canadians as their top digital mental health priority in a 2021 survey. Navigating the mental health system is complex and not well-understood. In partnership with individuals with lived/living experience, this planning project will start a dialogue on their experiences navigating mental health care services. Through a series of workshops, a journey map of their experiences will be co-created. The map is intended to identify barriers and gaps encountered by those seeking care. The map will also identify enablers that eased the navigation process. Lastly, the map will identify and prioritize opportunities for mental health organizations to innovate and act to support patient navigation. A knowledge mobilization strategy will also be developed in the session. The strategy will outline how to use the journey map and how get it to the right people for immediate action and impact. The journey map, priority areas for innovation, and knowledge mobilization strategy can advance the priorities of the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Addiction (INMHA). In particular, the proposed project will catalyze research opportunities in mental health areas of emerging need. The journey map and priority areas for innovation can be used as a framework for future research and policy change to build on, adapt, and extend to other settings or clinical areas. Furthermore, the knowledge generated and mobilized from this work can provide evidence for a patient-centric research action plan with the aim of improving mental health service navigation and accessibility. Finally, this project integrates important elements of teamwork and knowledge translation.