HELP!!! An interactive experiential simulation of youth with concurrent disorders accessing help from "the system''

HELP!!! is an interactive, experiential simulation of the health care system that youth with concurrent mental health and addiction issues need to access for help. Using this exercise after a didactic teaching session reinforces the learning, synthesizes the knowledge for application and encourages group discussion and the sharing of participants' knowledge. This exercise was originally developed to create an opportunity for interprofessional learning groups to experience the gaps and barriers youth encounter as they attempt to navigate the system and to act as a catalyst for creative problem solving and system change. By participating, learners experience a simulation of what youth, family members, and various professionals usually encounter in the system. This exercise elicits key issues for discussion and provides a forum for networking and the initiation of collaborative ventures for healthcare providers.