When your loved one is a child, youth or young adult, the role of the family caregiver will naturally be pretty hands-on.

There can be an upside to this involvement because health system providers will often seek out information from these family caregivers, and provide some direction on what they can do to help the young person who is struggling with addiction or mental illness. Family caregivers should probably take advantage of whatever access they have to their young loved one and capitalize on their opportunities to guide the young person into appropriate care. It may help to think of yourself as an ally to your loved one and not someone with an opposing point of view or a hidden agenda.

There are also limits to what a parent, guardian or caring friend can do, especially when it comes to determining whether or not your loved gets admitted to the health care system for the support that you feel they need. This is because Ontario’s addiction and mental health system is designed to respond to the wishes of the young person (not the demands of the family caregiver).

Under the law, a person of any age has the right to deny medical treatment so long as, in the opinion of the attending health care professional, the individual is not posing an imminent threat of physical violence to themselves or another person, and can demonstrate that they understand the possible consequences of declining a recommended course of care. Learn more about Ontario’s legal framework in Questions & Answers on Patient Privacy and Consent in the Addiction and Mental Health System in Ontario.

For tips on how caregivers of children can stay strong, see Mental Health Caregiver Guide: A Guide for Caregivers of Persons Living with Mental Illness or Experiencing Mental Health Challenges (p. 39).