Webinar Wednesday - Partnering Together for Integrated Person- and Family-Centric Care Across the Mental Wellness Care Continuum: Implementation and Evaluation of Stepped Care 2.0 in the Northwest Territories

In March 2020, the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) and Stepped Care Solutions (SCS), partnered with the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) to support the implementation of the SC2.0 model in the NWT—an initiative that aligns with the mandate of the GNWT 19th Legislative Assembly, Approach: SC2.0 implementation involved collaborative partnerships, and a multi-pronged approach using implementation science-based phases.

Key elements included:

• Involvement of leadership, providers, and service users * 
• Project planning and management * 
• Training and information * 
• Communication, engagement, and feedback. 

1. Reach (services offered and used),
2. Impact (satisfaction and wait times), and 
3. Lessons learned (enablers and barriers).


Objectives: This initiative sought to reduce wait times and improve access to services that are responsive, culturally safe, person- and family-centric, and recovery-oriented.

Methods: A mixed methods design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative information from service users, providers, and system leaders.

Results and Discussion: SC2.0 helped to increase the variety and flexibility of mental wellness and addictions recovery services for NWT residents—in person, by phone, and online. Wait lists and precursors to care were eliminated. Wait times for mental wellness counselling/therapy were reduced by 79%. Service users felt that care was person- and family-centric, being satisfied or very satisfied with their involvement in decisions about their counselling experience and with the information provided to them. The NWT continues to strengthen their system of care through the lessons learned.

Presented by: 

Dr. Danielle Impey, Manager, Access to Quality Mental Health Services, Mental Health Commission of Canada  

AnnMarie Churchill

Carley Straker