Youth and their caretakers exchange information with health providers in order to participate in shared decision-making or to make autonomous treatment choices. Tools supporting these exchanges for psychotropics are not readily available.

In partnership with the Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health, two pharmacists and a psychiatrist with advanced knowledge in psycho-pharmacotherapeutics designed a psychotropic resource to support the tripartite (i.e. youth, parents/caretakers, health providers) relationship in therapeutic, collaborative, decision-making. The resource promotes a framework for understanding psychotropics, their therapeutic goals, and the methods by which these goals will be reached. Best available evidence for psychotropics and factors influencing uptake of patient-oriented materials informed the content and resource format. Focus groups of youth with mental illnesses, health providers, and stakeholders were conducted during resource development. A graphic designer used focus group feedback to develop layouts and characters. A plain language writer edited the content.

A booklet with a companion passport was chosen. The booklet has several components including frequently asked questions (FAQs), a section on psychotropic medication groups, checklists, appointments, monitoring forms for medications, symptoms, side effects, and functioning, notes pages, and a glossary. The passport, intended for youth, primarily contains monitoring forms (e.g. checklists, medication list, symptoms, side effects, functioning). Clay character photos and colored section schemes enhance visual appeal of the resource.

The goals of the resources are to improve youth and caregiver involvement in psycho-pharmacotherapeutic decision-making and monitoring to enhance collaboration. A qualitative assessment of its impact is planned.