Here’s why mental health-related hospitalizations are declining in young Canadians – CTV
May 01, 2025
The way Canadian youth access care for mental health disorders has changed from pre-pandemic years.
According to a new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) released today, more young Canadians are being prescribed medications and visiting the doctor’s office to treat their disorders, while fewer patients are ending up in hospitals and emergency departments.
The report analyzes trends in children and youth ages five to 24 and compares patterns from 2023 and 2018.
In 2023, emergency department visits dropped 31 per cent compared to 2018. The number of hospitalizations declined by 23 per cent.
Liudmila Husak, manager for health system analytics at CIHI, said the team was surprised by the numbers.
“Prior to 2018/19, we’ve reported continuous increases in hospitalizations and emergency department visits for children and youth with mental health disorders. And, this time, for the first time, I guess, we saw some different trends,” Husak said.
