Report: Improving care in the long term for youth and young adults with complex care needs (Canada)

Over half a million Canadian children and youth have a disability that compromises their physical, social and/or emotional health and developmental capacities. A generation ago most children with severe disabilities died before reaching maturity; now, due in large part to advances in diagnostics and medical technology, more than 90% survive to adulthood.

Higher survival rates have been linked to longer wait lists, shortages in available appropriate services, and a lack of coordinated care after transfer from pediatric to adult care, and have highlighted training needs in the adult system to manage young adults with complex care needs.

In Canada, many people with complex care needs and their families attest that they are in crisis because there are not enough of the right services and supports to facilitate their care and life journey. Further, services that do exist are often difficult to navigate and community support programs are commonly associated with impenetrable wait lists and extremely high costs.

In 2013, The Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI) prepared a report with an aim to:

1. Develop a better understanding of the profile of youth and young adults with complex care needs;

2. Illuminate the required interventions for youth and young adults with complex care needs to successfully transition to adult services that will continue to meet their needs.

Information obtained through this work is being used to help Ontario ministries better understand the youth (aged 14-17 years) and young adults (aged 18-29 years) with complex care needs who will require or are waiting for transition to adult services.

Report here: http://www.cfhi-fcass.ca/sf-docs/default-source/reports/care-in-the-long-term-major-e.pdf?sfvrsn=4