Toronto, Ontario (March 5, 2025) – As we celebrate Black Mental Health Week, the Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth (SAPACCY) is proud to introduce AMANI: Mental Health & Substance Use Services for Black Youth (“AMANI”).
More than a name change, this milestone marks the expansion and restructuring of services to better meet the needs of diverse Black youth across Ontario. Meaning "peace" in Swahili and "wishes" in Arabic, AMANI reflects a renewed commitment to supporting young people’s mental health with a focus on Africentric values.
AMANI is thrilled to be the recipient of almost $4.4 million from Health Canada’s Youth Mental Health Fund. This funding builds on the annual investment of over $7.1 million from the provincial government to expand the program’s model to seven community organizations across the province.
Compared to the general population, Black youth in Ontario face significantly poorer mental health outcomes and barriers to accessing care. The program was created in Toronto during the mid-1990s to address the gap in services for Black communities. For decades, the program has experienced positive results due to its commitment to being a collaborative effort with Black youth, their families and the community based on principles of Africentric and racial trauma-informed care.
"AMANI’s growth builds on a strong legacy and a commitment to providing community-based mental health and addiction support to Black youth, while equipping young people and their caregivers with the tools to empower themselves,” says Paul Bailey, Executive Director of Black Health Alliance, a community organization that provides backbone support to AMANI. “Building on previous investments from the Government of Ontario, this significant funding from Health Canada will build on our established community and hospital-based partnership, and further support AMANI’s expansion, increasing its reach across Ontario. We are proud to collaborate with the dedicated team at CAMH to advance equity within the mental health and addiction system, ensuring that Black youth and their caregivers have access to the right supports, in the right place, at the right time."
New funding from Health Canada’s Youth Mental Health Fund will support AMANI in establishing a consultation-liaison service and collaborative care model. This service will strengthen care pathways between hospital and community-based services to improve transitions, reduce readmissions, and enhance recovery outcomes. Using real-time collaboration, a digital navigation system, and training for hospital and community staff in anti-racism, racial trauma-informed care, and cultural humility, this project will develop a scalable model for provincial expansion.
“Through the Youth Mental Health Fund, we’re investing in mental health care solutions that will make a difference for generations to come,” emphasizes Ya’ara Saks, the federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “The name AMANI captures our intent to create hope, resilience and culturally safe care that aligns with the needs of diverse youth.”
Kevin Haynes is the Senior Director of Black Health Strategy at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and he is a leader in the expansion of AMANI. “I am thrilled that the government is investing in AMANI to address systemic inequities and improve equitable, timely access to culturally-responsive mental health and substance use care for Black youth,” says Kevin. “Our expectation is that this program will set a national example for advancing culturally responsive integrated youth services for Black youth across Canada”.
Building on SAPACCY’s legacy as a community-based response to deeply entrenched anti-Black racism in the healthcare system, AMANI is the first-ever Canadian hospital and community partnership of its kind, focused on advancing care for Black youth. Through its network of eight sites across Ontario, AMANI offers Black youth (aged 12–29) access to mental health and substance use health services, including counseling and psychotherapy, case management and service navigation, and other culturally affirming interventions and supports. Alongside youth, AMANI supports families and caregivers, as their involvement plays a crucial role in the recovery process.
“The expansion of AMANI has been a dream come true for me,” says Donna Alexander, Social Worker with AMANI for nearly 20 years. “Previously, families would travel up to two hours for a 60-minute appointment. Now we are able to deliver more services to underserved youth in way that reduces barriers and save lives. I am extremely grateful for the progress we have made, and very excited about the future.”
AMANI will maintain its current mental health and substance use service without disruption to clients via a network of eight partner organizations:
- TAIBU Community Health Centre: Scarborough
- Rexdale Community Health Centre: Etobicoke
- Caribbean African Canadian Social Services: North York
- Roots Community Services: located in Peel Region
- Upstream Ottawa Mental Health Community Support: Ottawa
- Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre: Located in Hamilton
- Windsor Essex Community Health Centre: Windsor
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health: Toronto
AMANI represents a provincial network of organizations in Ontario with a shared vision of providing programs and services that support and empower Black youth in achieving their wellness goals. The expanded network model is developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally responsive and affirming models of integrating hospital-based and community-based mental health and substance use health services, thereby increasing knowledge, understanding and access to evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for Black communities.
Programs and services include the Mental Health & Substance Use Program (formerly SAPACCY), a Demonstration Project in Collaboration with the Toronto Northwest Justice Centre, and the Provincial Black Youth Advisory Panel.
Backbone support for AMANI is provided by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Black Health Alliance (BHA).
For more information, please contact:
CAMH Media Relations
media@camh.ca
