Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction, Simon Fraser University

Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction, Simon Fraser University

CARMHA is an internationally recognized research centre conducting innovative and interdisciplinary scientific research related to mental health and substance use, primarily in the areas of clinical or other intervention practice, health systems and population health and epidemiology.

Summary of relevant work

The Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA) is an internationally recognized research centre based at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver. CARMHA conducts innovative and interdisciplinary scientific research related to mental health and substance use, primarily in the areas of clinical or other intervention practice, health systems and population health and epidemiology.

With a focus on knowledge translation and policy and practice development, CARMHA’s primary mission is to conduct research, generate evidence, and translate knowledge into policy and practice that is innovative, relevant and effective in preventing and reducing the burden of disease related to mental health and substance use.

CARMHA is committed to the academic training of undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students and trainees, many of which are actively involved in research projects undertaken at CARMHA. 

Some of CARMHA’s current research projects include:

  • A feasibility study to improve the capacity and quality of primary healthcare services for the identification and treatment of depression for adults in Hanoi, Vietnam.
  • A large-scale research program on assessing the disease burden, and developing evidence-based clinical and policy interventions – focus on both the general population as well as high-risk groups, e.g. First Nations, street drug users - for prescription opioid misuse in Canada
  • A national study of innovative service delivery models that seek to integrate mental health and substance use services within primary healthcare
  • Developing and testing the effectiveness of different modules of ‘brief interventions’ as secondary prevention for young high frequency cannabis users
  • The development and evaluation of supported self-management strategies for management of common mental health and substance use problems
  • Assessing community-based public health measures for street-involved crack users in municipalities across B.C. and elsewhere in Canada, as well as in several cities in Brazil
  • An investigation into the waiting times for referral from primary healthcare to specialist care in the treatment of depression
  • Assessing health and crime outcomes of opioid maintenance treatment in correctional inmates
  • A study of the implementation of an assertive community treatment program addressing marginalized populations with concurrent mental illness and substance use disorders
  • A study examining the links between parenting, foster care, mental health, and homelessness as part of the large-scale ‘At Home’ intervention research project on mental health and housing. 

Details

Approach(es)
Detection and diagnosis
Empowerment and service user involvement
Policy and legislation
Training, education and capacity building
Treatment, care and rehabilitation
Region(s)
Asia
North America
South America
Population(s)
Adults
Children and adolescents
Maternal and neonatal health
Older adults
Setting(s)
Community
Primary care
School
Specialist care
Workplace
Country(s)
Canada