About Us

CARMHA is an interdisciplinary research centre focusing on research, knowledge translation and capacity building activities within the important health areas of mental health and addiction within a public health framework. Its overarching goal is to generate relevant knowledge to promote good mental and substance use related health and reduce the disease burden and social problems related to mental health and substance use problems. Most of CARMHA’s projects operate with a strong orientation towards providing evidence to inform policy and practice and are local, provincial, national or international in orientation. On this basis, CARMHA investigators work closely with governments and non-governmental organizations at all levels, service providers (e.g., local health authorities), consumer groups, businesses, and other key stakeholders for the purpose of targeted knowledge translation. As part of its commitment to capacity building, student training is a key priority at CARMHA, and students from undergraduate to post-doctoral levels – mainly from SFU degree programs - form part of the CARMHA staff contingent.

Currently, CARMHA’s main areas of research and KT activities consist of the following:

• The social determinants, epidemiology and health consequences of psychoactive (including non-medical prescription) drug use

• Pharmacotherapy and other service utilization for mental health problems

• Mental health and addiction in marginalized populations (e.g., homeless, correctional populations)

• Mental health epidemiology

• Primary, secondary and tertiary mental health service delivery

• Mental health promotion and prevention of mental health problems in the workplace

• Knowledge exchange and translation and best practices for mental health

• Brief interventions and other public health measures for cannabis use

• Delivery and outcomes of co-morbidity interventions

All of CARMHA’s projects are externally funded by grants or contracts; current funders include the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR), the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and WorkSafe British Columbia.

CARMHA investigators represent expertise in psychiatry, psychology, epidemiology, criminology and public health and are nationally and internationally leading experts in their fields. They provide leadership in and input to important organizations and initiatives, including the Mental Health Commission of Canada; the CIHR’s Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction and the Beckley Foundation’s Global Cannabis Commission.

To find out more about CARMHA’s activities, products or people, please contact CARMHA at: info@carmha.ca

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