SNAP Youth

The SNAP Youth team at the HEALab has been working to conduct a systematic review of hospital-based substance use interventions aimed at youth. In addition to this project, our team has also created two resources that help youth navigate treatment for substance use problems in Canada.

Youth substance use problems can include the use of alcohol, prescription medications or illicit substances that are harmful, negatively affecting youth’s physical, mental and social wellbeing (Nationwide Children’s, N.D.) 

Watch our video, The Youth Care Map: Substance Use Support at Your Fingertips, that explains our resources as well as information about various treatment options.

The SNAP youth team is comprised of several student researchers at Western University with an interest in youth health. We hope to translate our research on “youth substance use interventions in Canada” to an audience that can use this information to feel empowered and get help. As researchers who identify in the 12-25 age group, we feel that our perspective on youth health issues is unique, as we can relate to this age group as peers. 

The SNAP Care Map is a comprehensive visual for any young person who is looking to locate substance use resources across Canada. The map provides pinned locations of hospital-based substance use programs, with each pin linked to the resource’s website. Our team strived to provide resources in many regions of Canada, from the Territories, Western regions, the centrally located provinces, and the Maritimes. We will continue to add resources to the map as our research progresses. 

Access here: https://theheal.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Hospital-based-Substance-Use-Interventions-in-Canada.pdf