Grant: Foundation Grant

Clinical And Behavioral Outcomes; Criminalization/Transinstitutionalization; Forensic Mental Health; Gender Informed Services; Homelessness; Marginalized Populations; Mental Illness; Risk Assessment; Victimization; Violence

<html> <body> <p> <strong>Overarching Direction.</strong> My research takes place at the intersection of the mental health and legal systems. Our multiple programs of research are intended to reduce the criminalization of mental illness; facilitate accessible, high quality mental health care; develop, implement and evaluate services that improve patient outcomes, and safeguard public safety. The primary goal of our work is to create and synthesize knowledge on mental health, risk, and recovery to advance clinical practice and support evidence-informed policies and programs for mentally ill and marginalized populations.<br> <br> <br> <strong>OBJECTIVES.</strong> Over the next 7 years, we will address 4 thematic objectives in ongoing and new studies:<br> <br> <strong>1 -</strong> <strong>Population Profiles &amp; Pathways:</strong> Examine the characteristics of marginalized populations and their pathways into the continuum of psychiatric services and/or the criminal justice system.<br> </p> <p> <strong>2 -</strong> <strong>Risks, Strengths &amp; Trajectories:</strong> Study the appropriateness of the match between client risk and strengths to treatments and interventions.<br> </p> <p> <strong>3 -</strong> <strong>Clinical, Psychosocial Outcomes and Community Reintegration:</strong> Evaluate the clinical functioning (psychological, physical health), psychosocial well-being (social integration, housing) and recovery of clients longitudinally. Determine whether clients are successfully transitioning between settings, avoiding adverse outcomes and building capacity.<br> </p> <p> <strong>4 -</strong> <strong>KT Strategies:</strong> Use evidence to improve accessibility and quality of services for populations with mental illness, substance abuse problems and associated behavioural challenges across agencies.<br> </p> <p> <strong>Potential Impact.</strong> Severely addicted and mentally ill individuals transition between diverse social agencies and mental health services, often with little therapeutic benefit and at considerable cost to the individual and to society. Our research is intended to improve <em>health service delivery</em> by providing clinicians with structured measures to ensure reliable and valid assessments, placements, and treatment; to ensure an appropriate match between client needs and service delivery; while reducing adverse outcomes and cost of care. The improvement of service delivery will improve patient&rsquo;s health outcomes, increase quality of life and further diminish adverse outcomes.<br> </p> <p> <strong>Expertise.</strong> My researchis informing care and management practices in civil, forensic, and criminal justice settings across Canada, and increasingly, worldwide. I have expertise in quantitative research methods (eg, randomized control trials, longitudinal studies) and qualitative approaches (eg, focus groups). In addition, I have long-term, stable and diverse provincial, national and international collaborations which include people with lived experience, lawyers, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, criminologists, and allied professionals.<br> </p> <p> <strong>Mentorship.</strong> Undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate trainees from diverse fields, (as well as direct care providers completing continuing education), are active in every aspect of research and scholarship including study design, protocol development, data collection, analyses, and dissemination. I provide support in attending and presenting at local, national, and international conferences, access to multi-disciplinary collaborators who are clinicians, academics and decision-makers across BC and Canada as well as international leaders in our field. The success of our students is evident in their awards, publications and career development.</p> </body> </html>