The Timiskaming District Board of Health endorsed Planet Youth and the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) as a local strategy to reduce youth substance use at their April 5, 2023 meeting.

The board received a briefing report prepared by staff at the Timiskaming Health Unit. The report outlines the need for a comprehensive upstream prevention approach in order to prevent and reduce substance use harms in our communities.

The expected impacts of local implementation of the IPM include high-quality, timely, and localized data; evidence-informed interventions; reduced youth substance use and related harms; enhanced youth well-being and resiliency; increased collaboration between community partners; reduced duplication of services; cost-savings; and healthier youth, families, and communities.

The support of the Board follows a community learning session hosted by the Timiskaming Drug and Alcohol strategy in February 2023. The event brought together community partners from across the district to explore Planet Youth as a local strategy to improve outcomes for children and youth. Planet Youth representatives Jon Sigfússon and Robin Katrick presented how the approach has reduced teen substance use in Iceland from 42% in 1997 to 5% in 2022. 

Visit the Timiskaming Health Unit website to read the briefing note: https://www.timiskaminghu.com/websites/timiskaminghu.com/files/Board%20of%20Health/Item%2010b-Briefing%20Note%202023%20Icelandic%20Prevention%20Model.pdf