On the Move: How Mobile Units and Local Partnerships Expand Youth Access

Expanding Access Through Mobile and Community-Based Services

While integrated care centers offer centralized support, not all youth can easily access these facilities due to transportation barriers, geographic isolation, or family obligations. To address this challenge, municipalities are increasingly investing in mobile youth services and community-based outreach. Mobile units equipped with health professionals, social workers, and case managers deliver essential services directly into neighborhoods. These units often focus on underserved areas, such as rural communities or urban neighborhoods with high concentrations of at-risk youth. By bringing services to where young people live, municipalities can reduce access barriers and build trust with youth who may be reluctant to seek help in institutional settings.

Community-based service delivery also includes embedding youth workers in schools, recreation centers, and libraries. These professionals act as frontline connectors, providing brief interventions, referrals, and ongoing support. Programs like these have shown promising results in strengthening engagement and early intervention outcomes, particularly for youth experiencing mental health challenges or family instability. For example, school-based mental health services have been found to increase youth participation in care and reduce disciplinary incidents and absenteeism when implemented effectively (Langley et al. 2010)¹.

Targeted Outreach for Priority Populations

Municipalities are also focusing on tailored outreach strategies for specific subpopulations, including 2SLGBTQ+ youth, Indigenous youth, racialized groups, and youth experiencing homelessness. These populations often face compounded barriers due to discrimination, cultural disconnection, or systemic marginalization. Youth services must be specifically designed to address these realities. For example, programs that integrate traditional healing practices alongside clinical support have been more successful in engaging Indigenous youth (Kirmayer et al. 2014)². Similarly, 2SLGBTQ+ youth benefit from affirming spaces where identity is recognized and respected by trained staff.

Outreach efforts must also be flexible and proactive. Street outreach teams, peer navigators, and drop-in centers with extended hours can help connect with youth who are disengaged from school or family supports. These touchpoints are often the first step in re-engaging young people with longer-term services. Programs that employ staff with lived experience, such as peer mentors or youth advocates, tend to build credibility more quickly, which is critical for populations that may have experienced institutional mistrust (Brown et al. 2020)³.

Fostering Workforce Development and Interdisciplinary Collaboration

The quality of youth services is directly tied to the capacity and training of the professionals delivering them. A growing trend among municipalities is the establishment of interdisciplinary teams that include social workers, nurses, educators, housing specialists, and youth counselors. These teams are often co-located or