Episode 36: Leading the Way: Partnering and Innovating in Mental Health and Addictions Care

Mental health and addictions care is a critical issue affecting countless individuals and families across Ontario. As the demand for services continues to grow, the challenges within the system have become increasingly apparent, from long wait times to inadequate access to community supports.

In this episode, Avis Favaro is joined by Dr. Nadiya Sunderji, President and CEO, and Dr. Kevin Young, Vice-President of Medical Affairs and Chief of Staff at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care to explore the current state of mental health and addictions care in Ontario. This conversation explores some of the innovative solutions that have been introduced at Waypoint to address these pressing issues, as well as the ongoing gaps that still need to be filled across Ontario.

Tune in as we navigate this complex landscape and uncover the insights that can help shape a more effective and compassionate mental health system for all Ontarians.

 

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Dr. Nadiya Sunderji has been President and CEO of Waypoint since 2022, prior to which she served as VP Medical Affairs & Chief of Staff for several years. Under her leadership, Waypoint has continued to support and lead health and mental health system transformation, working with valued partners, as well as advancing internal quality improvement and staff well-being initiatives. Dr. Sunderji is a psychiatrist affiliated with the University of Toronto and she completed a Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. She is also a physician adviser to the Ministry of Health, as well as a contributor to the creation of a provincial Core Services Framework for mental health and substance use health care, and to the governance of Ontario Health’s Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence. receiving international and national recognition for her leadership and research in collaborative care, quality improvement and education, Dr. Sunderji oversees Waypoint’s STREAM lab, Supporting Transformation through Research, Evidence and Action in Mental health, and previously held several competitive research grants and a journal editorship, all advancing integrated mental health care.

 

Dr. Kevin Young is the Vice-President of Medical Affairs and Chief of Staff at Waypoint, a position he has held since June 2022, and the co-Medical Director of Provincial Geriatrics Leadership Ontario. He previously served as the inaugural Medical Director of Integrated Care at Waypoint. With more than a decade of leadership in geriatric medicine, Dr. Young founded and led a regional geriatric program and is now also advancing innovation in mental health and addiction care, including involvement in provincial governance. Notably, Dr. Young led the development of the province's first Hospital to Home program focused on mental health and addictions, the first adoption of publicly funded repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in Ontario Health Central Region for treating severe depression, and an innovative urgent psychiatry assessment clinic to prevent unnecessary admissions from regional general hospitals. He has also driven a transformative vision for addiction services at Waypoint and surrounding region. Passionate about system integration, Dr. Young is committed to achieving meaningful change through partnerships and collaboration.