Overview

• Researchers analyzed Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey data from 2015, 2017, and 2019 covering 12,368 students in grades 7–12 across up to 52 school boards.
• Black girls accessed mental health services less than White peers at every distress level, with odds of initiating care falling to 0.78 at moderate distress and 0.60 at serious distress.
• Black boys were more likely to initiate care at low distress than White boys (odds ratio 1.50) but were far less likely to do so at moderate distress (odds ratio 0.41).
• The authors report that Black adolescents disproportionately reach services through crises, including justice system interactions or intensive interventions.
• Barriers cited include racism, inaccessible or culturally mismatched services, stigma, and a shortage of culturally competent providers, with the study also underscoring Canada’s data gap on racialized youth.