Changes in Perception of Caregiving Experience Following Caregiver Peer Support Within a Mental Health and Addictions Navigation Service

Interest in navigation services in the mental health and/or addiction (MHA) sphere has grown over the past decade. However, little is known about the value of caregiver peer support in enhancing the navigation process. The Parent Advocate with Lived experience (PAL) service at the Family Navigation Project (FNP) provides peer support to caregivers supporting youth with MHA concerns. Caregivers (n = 26) were asked to rate their perceptions of their caregiver experience retrospectively and then 7 weeks following contact with FNP. A repeated-measures MANOVA comparing participants who had and had not accessed PAL services demonstrated a significant main effect of time, (F(15, 8) = 5.82, p = .008, $$\eta_{{\text{p}}}^{2}$$  = .916), and a significant time-by-group interaction, (F(15, 8) = 3.69, p = .034, $$\eta_{{\text{p}}}^{2}$$  = .874), signifying participants who accessed PAL services had more positive perceptions about their caregiving experience compared to participants who had not accessed PAL service. These findings support the future development of caregiver peer support roles within MHA services.