Published June 2020

The mental health of Canadians has been significantly negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (Angus Reid Institute, 2020). In April, half of the 1,900 Canadians surveyed by the Angus Reid Institute reported that their mental health has worsened, with 10% reporting that it has worsened “a lot” (Angus Reid Institute, 2020). During this time when Canadians are being told to stay home, a Statistics Canada web panel survey found that “one in 10 women is very or extremely concerned about the possibility of violence in the home” (Government of Canada, 2020a). More specifically, young women between the ages of 15 and 24 “were significantly more likely to report that they were very or extremely anxious about the possibility of violence in the home” (Government of Canada, 2020b). Kids Help Phone has seen a 112% increase in demand for services, with 24% of this increased demand related to physical violence in the home, further highlighting the vulnerability of Canadian youth (Miller, 2020). Compounding this vulnerability, the sudden switch to digital technologies has further increased the potential for cyber-based violence (Blanchfield, 2020) and cyber dating violence, whereby abusive partners can control, stalk, or discredit their partners over texts, social media, or mobile Apps (Ragavan et al., 2020). As physical distancing measures have disrupted the social supports and services that help to reduce this violence (Ragavan et a., 2020), there is an increasing need to find alternative strategies to support vulnerable youth. In April 2020, the Ontario government provided $12 million of emergency funding for the expansion of online and virtual mental health supports in April (Government of Ontario, 2020). While offering online support services may eliminate or reduce barriers to access for some individuals during COVID-19, it is important for service providers to maintain an awareness that the home environment is not a safe space for all service users (Dimond et al., 2011), physically and/or emotionally. Moreover, not all service users will be able to access or participate in online supports due to limited resources or lack of privacy (Tran et al., 2020). Marginalized youth living in “socially toxic” environments characterized by systemic barriers, such as community violence, discrimination and poverty, may experience symptoms of trauma, such as emotional distress and feelings of helplessness, which are likely further exacerbated by the current health pandemic (Bulanda & Byro Johnson, 2016). Given the mental health implications of COVID-19 for young Canadians thus far, it is increasingly important to consider how trauma-informed online services can be made accessible to vulnerable youth. (Introduction). Record #6847