CHEO partners with musician Jamie Fine to create mental health videos and combat misinformation

CHEO has partnered with Ottawa musician Jamie Fine to create mental health content on YouTube. CTV's Peter Szperling reports.

Five-time Juno-nominated artist Jamie Fine is part of an initiative with CHEO to create mental health content on YouTube that aims to combat misinformation on the platform.

The six-part series titled “This is what it feels like / Voici ce que l’on ressent” officially launched Wednesday. It explores topics such as ADHD, anxiety, eating disorders, major depression, substance use, and behavioural addictions, according to a news release.

“Each episode includes Jamie Fine’s real-life stories, blending the Ottawa native’s raw emotion with expert insights from CHEO’s world-renowned clinicians, offering teens and families a trusted resource that’s both relatable and informative,” CHEO says.

CHEO says YouTube approached them to create videos because it is bilingual. The content was produced with a list of the six most-searched mental health conditions on the platform. CHEO says the goal of the project is to counter health misinformation on YouTube.

“They’re emotional, but they’re uplifting,” Fine tells CTV News Ottawa.

The artist was part of the official launch at Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School in Barrhaven.

“I remember being this age and hoping for something like this,” said Fine.

“Allowing to have this conversation and to have discussion about mental health is one of the big goals of this series and reducing all the taboos around mental health as well,” says Marie-Pier Vandette, Clinical Psychologist at CHEO. “This series really allows to share some important knowledge, important strategies to support well-being for children and adolescents.”

According to CHEO, across Ontario about 70 per cent of people with mental health issues start to experience symptoms before they turn 18.

“Our ongoing collaboration with CHEO showcases what happens when trusted institutions meet audiences where they are,” says Dr. Garth Graham, Director and Global Head of YouTube health in a news release.

“In just two years, CHEO’s video content on YouTube has reached millions of viewers, demonstrating the power of making high-quality, evidence-based health information accessible at scale. These new teen mental health shelves help to ensure viewers find trusted guidance from partners like CHEO.”

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