Youth & Family Advisory Committee Leads
My son used the early psychosis intervention services at the Slaight Centre for Youth in Transition at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and my husband and I participated in the family education program offered there.
As a family, we greatly benefited from the services offered. Together, we were able to find a path forward to help my son understand his Illness, and actually have knowledge and an understanding of how to help him manage the symptoms.
I wanted to be part of this project because I believe we have been given an opportunity to demonstrate that we can improve outcomes for our children.
Individuals who need care deserve to have consistent, coordinated care no matter where they live across the province.
-- Lillian Duda
My name is Lillian Duda, and I have been part of the EPI-SET project since the research proposal development in December 2017.
"If we can show that by implementing a standard model of care for psychosis actually helps young adults stay healthy and stay out of the hospital, then we can use that evidence to help shape future services across Ontario."
<<Hover to learn more about why I joined >>
Lillian Duda,
Family Lead
My son used the early psychosis intervention services at the Slaight Centre for Youth in Transition at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and my husband and I participated in the family education program offered there.
As a family, we greatly benefited from the services offered. Together, we were able to find a path forward to help my son understand his Illness, and actually have knowledge and an understanding of how to help him manage the symptoms.
I wanted to be part of this project because I believe we have been given an opportunity to demonstrate that we can improve outcomes for our children.
Individuals who need care deserve to have consistent, coordinated care no matter where they live across the province.
-- Lillian Duda
Augustina Ampofo,
Youth Lead
Hi! My name is Augustina Ampofo, and I have been a part of the EPI-SET project since January 2019.
"Coordinated care is imperative and I truly believe that with the implementation of ‘NAVIGATE’ in Ontario, youth will be able to receive good coordinated care that can improve recovery as well as become sustainable."
<<Hover to learn more about why I joined >>
In 2012, I went through a period of psychosis and was hearing voices for 24 hours a day 7 days a week for over 9 months straight.
It was the scariest time in my life, however, becoming enrolled in an EPI program changed my life.
After going through this, I vowed that I would do anything I could to change the stigma and educate individuals on psychosis and mental health.
-- Augustina Ampofo
EPI-SET's Youth Advisory Committee Lead, Augustina Ampofo,was featured in a partnership between CAMH and Healthy Debates. A new website showcases the stories of four CAMH Youth Advisors who have lived experience with the mental health system and want to use their voices to make the system more effective and youth-friendly.
Youth Advisory Committee members have shared their perspectives and lived experiences with early psychosis through a series of interviews and videos and ongoing collaborations. Click on the boxes below for to access these resources.
Also, check out the Media and Engagement Tab for other advocacy work that the YAC & FAC have been involved in, including media interviews and articles.
EPI-SET’s Youth Advisory Committee drew on their lived experiences to present what meaningful client engagement and client-centered care should look like.
Lived Experience: GRIFFIN
Lived Experience: TALLAN
Lived Experience: VICTORIA
