| In Canada today, many families of youth with mental health and/or addiction concerns are struggling to access the care they need. The Family Navigation Project is a service affiliated with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Ontario, which aims to provide needs-based, family-centred system navigation to families of youth aged 13 to 26 with mental health and/or addiction concerns. The current study is a Realist Evaluation of the Family Navigation Project. The objectives of this study were a) to describe the population being served by the Family Navigation Project; b) to develop a conceptual framework for family navigation and a program theory for the Family Navigation Project; and c) to test the program theory, and refine it based on the results. This multi-phase, mixed methods study applied a Realist Evaluation framework and a cross-sectional methodological design in which both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through an online survey package in order to evaluate the sample characteristics; perception of navigation; the impact of perceived experience on family empowerment, family quality of life, and service satisfaction; and the influence of context. Data was collected from a convenience sample of 134 families seeking care on behalf of youth, who were registered with the Family Navigation Project at the time of the study. Descriptive, inferential and qualitative analyses were performed. Results indicated that the Family Navigation Project reached its target population in this sample; that families in this sample were highly satisfied with the services they received; that most families in this sample perceived care to be accessible, continuous, and family-inclusive; that this perceived experience significantly influenced family empowerment, family quality of life, and service satisfaction; and that both individual and systemic-level contexts influence experience and outcomes to varying extents. The conceptual framework and program theory were subsequently refined. Applications, contributions and limitations are noted. |
