Official Project Launch draws dozens of researchers and patient partners from across the province
By Farha Akhtar, Photos by Chris Plishka
SCPOR's official launch of its Mental Health and Addictions Research Program on September 30th at Saskatoon's Alice Turner Library drew a diverse crowd that included patient advisors, researchers, and health system leaders.
47 participants joined in person or by Webex at the event which was designed to help build collaborations and capacity to conduct responsive, equitable, innovative, patient-oriented research that continuously improves the care and health of Saskatchewan people.
SCPOR's Mental Health & Addictions Research Program is co-lead by Malori Keller, the Centre's Patient Engagement Platform Lead. She explains that the program is intended to facilitate the development of a shared research agenda between patients, families, the health system and researchers.
“Projects accepted in the call will seek to motivate work in Mental Health and Addictions whereby the new knowledge created through research can be implemented in a timely fashion here in Saskatchewan.”
"There was great enthusiasm from those who attended with regard to addressing the patient identified priority of “Culturally appropriate access to mental health and addictions care and services in Saskatchewan.'"
"We had five people with lived experience in attendance and a strong compliment of researchers and health system leaders from many areas of the province."
Participants had the opportunity to break into small groups and discuss a wide range of themes relating to this focus that included, long-term care and culture, social determinants, prevention strategies for children, and youth mental health.
Malori Keller says it is inspiring to see the ways the program launch helped galvanize research teams and elevate this field of research. She encourages individuals interested in learning more to check out SCPOR's Mental Health and Addictions program of research homepage where they can read updates and follow the latest developments with this program.