The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has funded several knowledge development projects to support the mental health needs of Canadian Healthcare Providers (HCP), Public Safety Personnel (PSP), their families, and their caregivers, who have been most affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Project Title: Canadian Institute for Pandemic Health Education and Response (CIPHER)
Project Description: The Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT) at the University of Regina has received $2,843,107 to create a Knowledge Development and Exchange Hub, the Canadian Institute for Pandemic Health Education and Response (CIPHER). CIPHER will curate and mobilize the information and resources developed by the PHAC-funded projects, support evaluation and measurement of outcomes, and provide a space for knowledge exchange and collaboration among the projects. CIPHER activities will encourage the creation of high quality, evidence-informed, accessible, and practical interventions, training materials, and supports for Canadian Public Safety Personnel (PSP), Healthcare Providers (HCP), their families, and the service providers who care for them. Dr. Alexandra Heber, MD FRCPC CCPE, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University, and Chief Psychiatrist of Veterans Affairs Canada, is on secondment to lead this project, and is serving as Executive Director of CIPHER.
Project Institutions: Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, University of Regina
Project Team:
- Elizabeth Bose – Executive Assistant
- Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton – Scientific Advisor
- Dr. Alexandra Heber – Executive Director
- Neil Middlemiss – Business Analyst
- Amber Schick – Research Associate
- Ben Slowski – Operations Manager, Project Manager
Project Contact:
- Dr. Alexandra Heber – Alexander.Heber@uregina.ca
Academic Funding Application Details:
Total Funding: $2,843,107
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): Carleton, R. N.
Co-Principal Applicant(s): Heber, A., Jones, N.
Co-Applicant(s): Carpenter, V., A. King, D., Kossick, E., Uttaranakorn, J.
Project Title: Beyond Silence: Advancing E-Mental Health Solutions to Support Canadian Healthcare Workers
Project Description: McMaster University is receiving $1,560,242 in funding for their Beyond Silence: Advancing E-Mental Health Solutions to Support Canadian Healthcare Workers project. The objective of this project is to build capacity for peer support, and to implement and evaluate a mobile mental health app (Beyond Silence). The app is designed to promote early intervention and mental health support for frontline Healthcare Workers to reduce their risk of PTSD and the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project is expected to reach 10,000 to 50,000 healthcare workers across Canada.
Project Institutions: McMaster University
Project Team:
- Maria Bargeman – Research Coordinator & Post-Doctoral Fellow
- Fardous Hosseiny – Co-Investigator
- Jacqollyne Keath – Knowledge User Partner
- Ann Malain – Knowledge User Partner
- Dr. Margaret McKinnon – Co-Investigator
- Dr. Sandra Moll – Principal Investigator
- MaryAnn Notarianni – Co-Investigator
- Fred Phelps – Knowledge User Partner
- Sandra Primiano – Knowledge User Partner
- Dr. Rosemary Ricciardelli – Co-Investigator
- Dr. Edward Skyes – Co-Investigator
- Dr. Peter Smith – Co-Investigator
- Henrietta Van Hulle – Knowledge User Partner
- Lisa Wolfe – Research Coordinator
Project Contact:
- Dr. Sandra Moll – molls@mcmaster.ca
Academic Funding Application Details:
Total Funding: $1,560,242
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): Moll, S.
Project Title: Expansion and Evaluation of the Before Operational Stress Program
Project Description: The Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT) at the University of Regina is receiving $9,015,949 in funding to evaluate the Before Operational Stress program (BOS). The BOS program is being deployed by Wayfound Inc. to support 103,600 Public Safety Personnel and frontline Healthcare Workers across Canada who are regularly exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events and posttraumatic stress injuries, particularly in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and CIPSRT is conducting an independent research study to evaluate the effectiveness of BOS across delivery modalities.
Project Institutions: Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, University of Regina, Wayfound Mental Health Group
Project Team:
BOS Program Evaluation:
- Lindsay Allen – Research Assistant
- Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton – Principal Investigator
- Donna Dowler – Senior Project Manager
- Dr. Gabriela Ioachim – Post-Doctoral Fellow and Research Lead
- Kirby Maguire – Co-investigator
- Dr. Jill Price – Co-investigator
- Michele Redekop – Research Assistant
- Rhea Rennebohm – Administrative Assistant
- Rachael Vaella – Research Assistant
- Andrew Wakefield – Former Research Assistant
- Sarah Williams – Research Assistant
BOS Training:
- Dr. Megan McElheran – Supervising Clinician
Project Contact:
- Dr. Gabriela Ioachim – gabriela.ioachim@uregina.ca
Academic Funding Application Details:
Total Funding: $9,015,949
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): Carleton, R. N.
Co-Applicant(s): Maguire, K. Q.
Project Title: Bringing Mental Health Resources to Long-Term Care in Canada
The Bringing Mental Health Resources to Long-Term Care project will equip long-term care staff with the capacity to deliver training that builds a common baseline of knowledge on what mental health is, why it matters, and what to do when mental health needs are identified in oneself and/or a peer. This program will not only build on the unique complexities in long-term care through a customized version of the Working Mind program, but it will also implement a train the trainer model so staff can administer the custom course in their long-term care home.
Project Institutions: Canadian Association for Long Term Care
Project Team:
- Dr. Keith Dobson – Evaluator
- Jodi Hall – CEO
- Liz Thompson – Project Manager
Project Contact:
- Liz Thompson – projectmanager@caltc.ca
Academic Funding Application Details:
Total Funding: $1,223,213
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): Dobson, K.
Project Title: Healthcare Salute: Thank You For Your Service. An Ongoing Surveillance and Knowledge Mobilization Plan to Support the Needs of Canadian Healthcare Professionals Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic
Project Description: McMaster University is receiving $2,962,276 in funding for the Healthcare Salute: Thank You for Your Service project. The project objectives are to 1) develop evidence-based resources for affected and at-risk healthcare populations, including mental health literacy tools that will help individuals to recognize trauma- and stress-related experiences, and 2) equip healthcare support and allied organizations to recognize and support those Healthcare Workers affected by trauma and PTSD throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The project will reach approximately 75,000 Healthcare Workers across 708 public hospitals in Canada.
Project Institutions: McMaster University
Project Team:
- Dr. Andrea Brown – Team Lead
- Christina Chrysler – Project Manager
- Dr. Margaret McKinnon – Principal Investigator
- Matthew McKinnon – Media Lead
- Dr. Kim Ritchie – Team Lead
- Sangita Singh – Team Lead
Project Contact:
- Dr. Margaret McKinnon – mckinno@mcmaster.ca
Academic Funding Application Details:
Total Funding: $2,962,276
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): McKinnon, M.
Project Title: Advancing Peer Support Programming to Address PTSD and Trauma Among Canadian Public Safety Personnel and Veterans:
- Stream 1 – National Peer Support Community Network
- Stream 2 – OnCall Peer Support Mobile-Health Apps
- Stream 3 – Online Repository of Mental Health Services for PSP and Veterans
Project Description: The Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT) at the University of Regina has received $3,713,778 to implement, scale-up, and evaluate the OnCall and OnCallSupport mobile-health apps. These apps will facilitate peer support with up to 10,000 Public Safety Personnel (PSP) working in corrections, emergency communications, fire services, and paramedic services. The funding will also be used to develop a national community network of peer support leaders dedicated to advancing peer support for Canadian PSP, as well as to enhance the PSP Mental Health Services website.
Project Institutions: Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, Lakehead University, McMaster University, Memorial University, University of Regina, Wilfred Laurier University, Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment
Project Team, Stream 1:
- Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton – Principal Investigator
- Dr. Robert Chrismas – Research Lead
- Donna Dowler – Senior Project Manager
- Gabrielle Dupuis – Director, Research Partnerships
- Debo Eluyera – Project Manager
- Sonya Gills – Research Assistant
- Donna King – Project Sponsor
- Laryssa Lamrock – National Strategic Advisor, Families
- Tara McFadden – Director of Implementation
- Dr. Beth Milliard – Research Lead
- Constance Ross – Administrative Assistant
- Shannon Tracey – Senior Implementation Specialist
Project Contact, Stream 1:
- Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton – Nick.Carleton@uregina.ca
- Donna King – Donna.King@uregina.ca
- Shannon Tracey – Shannon.Tracey@theroyal.ca
Project Team, Stream 2:
- Regan Boldue – Sector Project Manager for Firefighters
- Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton – Co-Principal Investigator
- Dr. Stephen Czarnuch – Sector Lead for Emergency Communications
- Donna Dowler – Senior Project Manager
- Debo Eluyera – Project Manager
- Diana Gibbons – Sector Project Manager for Correctional Services
- Donna King – Project Sponsor
- Nadine Leduc – Sector Project Manager for Emergency Communications
- Kyle Leitch – Communications and Marketing Specialist
- Dr. Renée MacPhee – Sector Lead for Paramedic Services
- Dr. Sandra Moll – Principal Investigator
- John Prno – Sector Project Manager for Paramedics Services
- Dr. Rosemary Ricciardelli – Sector Lead for Correctional Services
- Constance Ross – Administrative Assistant
- Dr. Kathryn Sinden – Sector Lead for Firefighters
- Mariliyn Swinton – Research Coordinator
- Chukwuemeka Uwachi – Business Analyst
- Lisa Wolfe – Research Coordinator
Project Contact, Stream 2:
- Dr. Sandra Moll – molls@mcmaster.ca
Project Team, Stream 3:
- Meriem Benlamri – Director Knowledge Mobilization
- Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton – Principal Investigator
- Dr. Robert Chrismas – Research Lead
- Donna Dowler – Senior Project Manager
- Gabrielle Dupuis – Director Research and Partnership
- Debo Eluyera – Project Manager
- Sonya Gills – Research Assistant
- Ghislain Girard- Manager/Web Operations Manager
- Donna King – Project Sponsor
- Kyle Leitch – Communications and Marketing Specialist
- Dr. Beth Milliard – Research Lead
- Constance Ross – Administrative Assistant
- Chukwuemeka Uwachi – Business Analyst
Project Contact, Stream 3:
- Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton – Nick.Carleton@uregina.ca
- Donna King – Donna.King@uregina.ca
Academic Funding Application Details:
Stream 1 – Total Funding: $352,853
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): Carleton, R. N.
Co-Applicant(s): Price, J., Hosseiny, F., Tracey, S., Lamrock, L., Bradley, K., Dupuis, G., Notarianni, M., Jones, N. A.
Stream 2 – Total Funding: $1,929,571
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): Moll, S.
Co-Applicant(s): Czarnuch, S., MacPhee, R., Ricciardelli, R., Sinden, K., King, D., Carleton, R. N.
Stream 3 – Total Funding: $1,433,354
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): Carleton, R. N.
Co-Applicant(s): Price, J., Hosseiny, F., Jones, N. A.
Collaborator(s): Mercier, J., Dupuis, G., Benlamri, M., King, D., Notarianni, M.
Project Title: Workplace Supports Informed by R2MR: Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing for Canadian Health Care Workers
Project Description: Lawson Health Research Institute’s MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre is receiving $2,832,732 in funding for their project, Workplace Supports Informed by R2MR: Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing for Canadian Health Care Workers. Based on an adaptation of R2MR, user-friendly tools highlight elements such as moral distress, organizational structures, institutionalized practices, and leadership as they impact the mental health and wellbeing of Canadian healthcare workers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Project Institutions: Lawson Health Research Institute
Project Team:
- Dr. Shelley-Ann John – Project Manager
- Dr. Jenny J W Liu – Research Team Lead
- Dr. Anthony Nazarov – Assistant Principal Investigator
- Dr. J. Don Richardson – Principal Investigator
- Dr. Patrick D. Smith – Project Principal
Project Contact:
- Dr. J. Don Richardson – Don.Richardson@sjhc.london.on.ca
Academic Funding Application Details:
Total Funding: $2,832,732
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): Richardson, D.
Project Title: PSPNET Families, Offering Mental Health Promotion Resources and Supports
Project Description: The Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT) and PSPNET at the University of Regina is receiving $2,072,233 in funding to work with the Families Matter Research Group (Queen’s University) and the Child Trauma Research Centre (University of Regina) to create PSPNET Families. PSPNET Families is a virtual wellbeing hub for the families of Public Safety Personnel (PSP), which is complementary to PSPNET, a federally-funded online service that offers internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy to PSP.
Project Institutions: Queen’s University, University of Regina
Project Team:
- Tina Armstrong – Research Assistant
- Janine Beahm – Research Associate
- Dr. Tim Black – Research Consultant
- Marilyn Cox – Research Associate
- Dr. Heidi Cramm – Co-Principal Investigator
- Rhett Danyluk – Instructional Designer
- Kollins Dare, Project Manager
- Dr. Rachel Dekel – Research Consultant
- Lisa Delaney – Community Development Manager
- Isabelle Dena – Clinical Research Associate
- Peace Dukuye – Research Assistant
- Nicola Fear – Research Consultant
- Julia Gregory – Undergraduate Research Assistant
- Dr. Heather Hadjistavropoulos, Principal Investigator
- Bailey Hammer – Student Research Assistant
- Caeleigh Landry – Graduate Student Research Assistant
- Dr. Sharon Lawn – Research Consultant
- Dr. Alyson Mahar – Research Consultant
- Hugh McCall – Graduate Student Research Assistant
- Dr. Deborah Norris – Research Consultant
- Myla Nicolas – Instructional Designer
- Steffi Oberthier – Research Assistant
- Abby Phillips – Research Assistant
- Erin Porter – Research Coordinator
- Dr. Nathalie Reid, Co-Principal Investigator
- Sarah Reiser – Clinical Research Associate
- Constance Ross – Administrative Assistant
- Melissa Richardson – Research Assistant
- Rachel Richmond – Doctoral Trainee
- Melissa Scheltgen – Clinical Research Associate
- Shimona Sekhar – Senior Project Director
- Saad Shawer – Instructional Designer
- Lauren St. Onge – Research Assistant
- Linna Tam-Seto – Research Scientist
Project Contact:
- Shimona Sekhar – Shimona.Sekhar@uregina.ca
Academic Funding Application Details:
Total Funding: $2,072,233
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): Hadjistavropoulos, H. D.
Co-Principal Applicants: Cramm, H., Reid, N.
Co-Applicant(s): Sekhar, S., Beahm, J. D., Delaney, L., McCall, H. C.
Project Title: Resilient Minds™ Building the Psychological Strength of Indigenous and Francophone Fire Fighters
Project Description: Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is receiving $1,061,097 in funding for their Resilient Minds™️ Building the Psychological Strength of Fire Fighters project, an evidence-informed, peer-to-peer training program designed to enhance the personal resilience of Fire Fighters and the collective resilience of fire services. The clinically reviewed and trauma-informed curriculum teaches strategies to recognize effects of posttraumatic stress injuries/trauma in self and peers, apply personal wellness tools to mitigate occupational stress, and to safely and respectfully respond to distressed citizens. CMHA will adapt, translate, pilot, evaluate, and implement Resilient Minds™️ for Francophone Fire Fighters and adapt, pilot, evaluate, and implement Resilient Minds™️ for Indigenous Fire Fighters across Canada with a reach of approximately 750 Fire Fighters. The project will be implemented in collaboration with the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council and other partners.
Project Institutions: CMHA National, CMHA Vancouver Fraser
Project Team:
- Alexis Beer – Indigenous Project Coordinator
- Sarah da Ponte – French Project Manager
- Sophie Dunn – Project Assistant
- Joel Johnson – Project Communication Manager
- Logan Johnson – Project Graphic Designer
- Tom Jukes – Indigenous Project Manager
- Leanne MacLeod – National Manager
- Nicki Renault – French Project Coordinator
- Denise Silverstone – National Director, Programs & Services
Project Contact:
- Leanne MacLeod – leanne.macleod@cmha.bc.ca
Academic Funding Application Details:
Total Funding: $1,061,097
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): CMHA National
Project Title: Training and Development Program for Public Safety Personnel
Project Description: The Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT) at the University of Regina is receiving $2,139,765 in funding to expand access to enhanced training for frontline Public Safety Personnel (PSP). This includes, but is not limited to, the Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR), which was designed by the Canadian Department of National Defence to reduce stigma, reduce barriers to care-seeking, improve short-term performance, and support long-term mental health. The project will expand R2MR training opportunities by certifying new Trainers and Master Trainers and expanding the potential reach of the online version of R2MR by developing and providing a French version. The training is expected to reach hundreds of PSP across Canada, many of whom will go on to help hundreds more.
Project Institutions: University of Regina, Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment
Project Team:
- Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton – Principal Investigator
- Kaitlyn Goebel – Administrative Assistant
- Dr. Nicholas A. Jones – Co-Investigator
- Dr. Michelle McCarron – Co-Investigator
- Michelle McCarron – Research Associate
- Derek Shogren – Program Coordinator
- Dustin Silvey – Post-Doctoral Fellow
- Rachel Werrett – Co-Applicant & Manager of Training and Development
Project Contact:
- Rachel Werrett – Rachel.Werrett@uregina.ca
Academic Funding Application Details:
Total Funding: $2,139,765
Nominated Principal Applicant(s): Carleton, R. N.
Co-Principal Applicant(s): Jones, N. A., McCarron, M.
Co-Applicant(s): Werrett, R.