Core Faculty, Staff and Students

eargento

staff.2011-04-14.4101006956 — 2011-04-14T17:21:20Z

Elena Argento completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Public Health from Simon Fraser University, with a focus on global health. Her post-graduate work led her to India where she completed her practicum with Avahan, the national HIV/AIDS initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Her research examined structural violence among commercial sex workers from Ashodaya, a community-led collective based in Mysore.

Elena is now a Research Associate at the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA) in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University. Her research interests include global health among marginalized/vulnerable populations, the social determinants of health, HIV/AIDS, mental health, and the social epidemiology of health interventions among high risk populations with a focus on participatory qualitative research methods.

bilsker

staff.2010-01-22.4373873539 — 2011-04-14T17:15:04Z

Dan Bilsker, PhD, is a psychologist who consults to the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health & Addiction at Simon Fraser University. His academic appointments are Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University and Clinical Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia. He leads a project to enhance the Canadian mental health care by disseminating brief behavioural interventions for mood disorders in primary care; he has recently completed the report Improving Men's Health. He has produced several depression self-management tools, including the Antidepressant Skills Workbook (2005), available in French, Chinese and Punjabi translation.

Selected Publications

Bilsker D, Goldner EM (In press). Training GPs to prescribe depression self-management. In The Oxford Guide to Low-intensity CBT Interventions, Oxford University Press (expected 2010).

Bilsker D (2009) Review: Some computerised cognitive behavioural therapies are effective for treating mild to moderate depression. Evidence Based Medicine 14: 52-53.

Bilsker D, Anderson J, Samra J, Goldner EM, Streiner D (2009). Behavioural interventions in primary care. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health

Patten S Bilsker D Goldner EM (2008) The evolving understanding of Major Depression epidemiology: Implications for practice and policy. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 53:689–695

Bilsker D Goldner EM Jones W (2007) Health service patterns indicate potential benefit of Supported Self-Management for depression in primary care. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 52: 86-95.

Bilsker D Wiseman S Gilbert M. (2006) Managing depression-related occupational disability: a pragmatic approach. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 51: 76-83.

Bilsker D Goldner EM (2004). Teaching evidence-based practice: overcoming barriers. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention 4 (3), 271-275.

bfischer

staff.2009-11-27.8338287802 — 2009-11-27T18:02:52Z

Research Interests:

Dr. Fischer’s main fields of research interests include: psychoactive substance use; marginalized/vulnerable populations; infectious disease (primarily Hepatitis C Virus); crime and criminal justice; public/population health; social determinants of health, with a strong interest in policy/program development. His research commonly integrates multiple methods and disciplines, e.g. involves both quantitative and qualitative methods, and/or integrates expertise from the basic, clinical or social sciences to aid problem focused research enquiries. His current main research activities include: - the development of a public health framework for cannabis use control; - a research program on the epidemiology, morbidity/mortality and drug diversion related to non-medical use of prescription opioids in different populations; Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) incidence, prevention and treatment models for drug using populations; - the social epidemiology of and interventions for crack use; brief interventions and treatment for high-risk substance use. Dr. Fischer currently holds research funding for the above listed and other research areas from CIHR, Health Canada, the BC Ministry of Health, the Vancouver Island Health Authority, and other funders. He is also a co-investigator in several CIHR-funded Strategic Training Initiatives in Health Research (STIHR) programs focusing on the above areas of research.

Benedikt Fischer, PhD, obtained his doctorate in Criminology at the University of Toronto (1998). Subsequent to his doctorate, he was a Research Scientist and Section Co-Head at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, and held faculty appointments in the Department of Public Health Sciences and at the Centre of Criminology, University of Toronto. Following a faculty appointment at the University of Victoria (2006 – 2008), Dr. Fischer joined the Centre for Applied Research in Addictions and Mental Health (CARMHA) and the Faculty of Health Sciences as Professor in September 2008. He currently holds a CIHR/PHAC Research Chair in Applied Public Health and is a MSFHR Senior Scholar Career Investigator. He is furthermore an Affiliate Scientist with the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and a Senior Scientist with CAMH. Dr. Fischer is a member of the Institute Advisory Board of the CIHR Institute for Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INHMA), as well as a member of the Science Advisory Board of the Mental Health

gilbert

staff.2010-01-22.4184374559 — 2010-01-22T23:08:28Z

Dr Gilbert has worked as a leader and psychologist for over twenty years in both private and public organizations. His particular interests are mental health and resiliency, particularly with children and teens and working adults. Merv is an active participant in a number of professional and non-profit organizations with a focus in these areas. He has experience in providing clinical services to various populations; curriculum development and teaching; facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration; and program design, implementation and evaluation. He has published in national and international journals and has presented in a diverse array of forums.Merv is also a principal partner in Gilbert Acton Ltd (www.gilbertacton.com), an organizational health consultancy. Gilbert Acton enables organizations to create psychologically healthy climates through evidence-based methods of assessment, consultation, coaching, training and evaluation. Merv is an active participant in a number of professional and non-profit organizations with a focus in these areas. Along with colleagues in CARMHA, his activities have included

A report on research and practice in organizational mental health: Depression and Work Function: Bridging the Gap between Mental Health Care and the Workplace (2004).

Creation of a self-care manual for depressed teenagers, Dealing with Depression (2005).

A self-care manual focused on depression in work settings, Antidepressant Skills in the Workplace (2007)

A resource to assist employers to assess and address workplace psychosocial risks, Guarding Minds @ Work (2009)

egoldner

staff.2009-11-27.2716257338 — 2009-11-27T18:10:15Z

Publications and Activities

Dr. Goldner’s teaching activities have addressed a wide range of topics related to mental health and addiction, ranging from clinical and epidemiological issues to population and public health concerns. He is interested in helping students to integrate information from a wide variety of disciplines that can advance the quality and outcomes of interventions in Canada and other nations.

Dr. Goldner’s research activities are focused toward the advancement of mental health and addiction services at the population level. He has worked closely with government ministries, particularly with the Ministry of Health in British Columbia, to provide research information that can support evidence-based decision making and assist in the development of an improved system of service delivery. Dr. Goldner has led a project that utilizes province-wide data to measure and improve the quality of service delivery in British Columbia. He has also used national and international data to address research questions related to mental health and addiction services and policy.

Dr. Elliot Goldner received an Honours B.Sc. degree in neurophysiology at the University of Toronto, an M.D. degree at the University of Calgary and an M.H.Sc. degree in epidemiology at the University of British Columbia where he also completed specialty training and full qualifications in Psychiatry. He began his career working to help individuals with Eating Disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa, and helped to establish a province-wide network of treatment services. Dr. Goldner was appointed the Director of British Columbia’s Provincial Eating Disorder Programs and instituted a clinical research program to advance the outcomes of treatment interventions. After working to improve the design and quality of treatment services for people with Eating Disorders in British Columbia, and in other Canadian provinces and other countries, Dr. Goldner expanded his efforts to address the full spectrum of mental health and addiction problems and developed a research unit designed to provide research support to governments in their efforts to advance the quality of mental health and addiction services.

Before joining the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, Dr. Goldner was on faculty at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine for 20 years, where he was a very active teacher and researcher. He was the Director of Undergraduate Education for the Department of Psychiatry and he founded and headed the Division of Mental Health Policy & Services and the Mental Health Evaluation & Community Consultation Unit (MHECCU). Dr. Goldner directs a national Research Training Program, entitled ‘Research in Addiction & Mental Health Policy & Services’ that has been funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in order to train scientists to conduct research to advance the healthcare system’s approach to mental illness and addiction. Dr. Goldner has received various awards for his scholarly work and he has served on various Boards of Directors. Currently he is a Director on the Board of the Centre for Addiction Research, at the University of Victoria, and is also serves on the Board of the Coast Foundation Society, a non-profit society that provides services to people with severe mental illnesses.

Funding

Stategic training program - Mental health and addictions

Development of a mental health commission document

Anti-Depressant Skills at Work Workbook

Physician Brief Interventionsl Training

Pharmaco Hub

Mental health and addiction policy and services research

Mental health & addiction services policy investigative team – Mental health and addictions

Dissemination and evaluation of the Anti-depressant skills at work manual

Scientific Advisory Committee/CIHR Conference

Self-Management of Mood Problems for People with Chronic Diseases Workbook

jeffries

staff.2010-01-22.0984875367 — 2011-04-14T17:14:35Z

Victoria Jeffries is a doctoral student in the Health Sciences Faculty at Simon Fraser University and has a masters degree in forensic psychology. As of February 1, 2010 she is taking on the position of project manager for the Consumer/Peer Research Network Development (CPRND) project of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

jones

staff.2010-03-30.4201937054 — 2010-03-30T18:12:38Z

Wayne Jones joined the Mental Health Evaluation & Community Consultation Unit in October, 1999, moving to CARMHA in 2006. Prior to this he spent over 6 years with the Hospital Planning and Development Department of the Greater Vancouver Regional Hospital District. Specific projects included the analysis and modelling of hospital utilization data in the areas of acute care, psychiatry, day surgery, rehabilitation, medical care, cardiology, and inter regional referral patterns. He has also worked at UBC, implementing patient record systems at the Dental Clinic and Student Health Services as well as system modelling and data analysis for the Division of Health Systems.

With Mheccu and now CARMHA he has worked on the development and implementation of performance and quality indicators for the BC mental health system. He has also made extensive use of province wide administrative data to examine the prevalence and distribution of mental disorders within BC. Current research activities include the development of models of the mental health system and the exploration of the use of pharmacological data in the understanding of the treatment of individuals with mental disorders.

Throughout his career, he has served as a design and statistical analysis consultant to a number of research and evaluation projects in various health and psychology disciplines. Research interests include the prediction of future utilization patterns based on past trends and public policy, measurement issues, and the development of evaluation protocols in real life clinical settings.

genvievelavigne

staff.2012-02-17.5590779833 — 2012-02-17T20:40:29Z

Originally from Montréal, Geneviève L. Lavigne has earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology from McGill University as well as a Doctorate degree in social and organizational psychology research from Université du Québec à Montréal. Her personal research has mainly focused on human motivation and behavior, psychological needs, psychosocial working environment as well as psychological and physical health.

In addition to being a post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA), Geneviève is a research and statistics consultant associated with the Fernand Séguin Research Center (Louis-H Lafontaine Hospital, Montréal) and the McGill University Health Center (Montréal). Finally, Geneviève is an associate researcher with the Employee Selection Research and Intervention Laboratory at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

dmacpherson

staff.2011-05-11.0236106703 — 2012-01-06T19:02:46Z

Donald MacPherson

Director, Canadian Drug Policy Coalition

Donald MacPherson is one of Canada’s leading figures in drug policy and advocates drug policies based on principles of public health, scientific evidence, human rights and social inclusion. He is currently the Director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition a national coalition of organizations and individuals working to improve Canada’s drug policies. The Coalition is a partner project with the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addictions. He is involved in drug policy work at local, national and international levels. Formerly he was North America’s first Drug Policy Coordinator at the City of Vancouver where he worked for 22 years. He is the author of Vancouver’s groundbreaking Four Pillars Drug Strategy, which called for new approaches to drug problems based on public health principles and the appropriate regulation of all psychoactive substances. In 2007 he received the Kaiser Foundation National Award of Excellence in Public Policy in Canada. In 2009 he was awarded the Richard Dennis Drug Peace Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Drug Policy Reform by the Drug Policy Alliance in the United States and the City of Vancouver was awarded the Canadian Urban Institutes Secure City Award for the Four Pillars Drug Strategy. MacPherson is currently Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver Canada.

cmyrick

staff.2012-01-17.5830907959 — 2012-04-13T16:05:04Z

Christina A. Myrick is currently a MPH student at SFU with a concentration in global health. As an undergraduate, she studied social work and psychology. Christina's research interests include public health ethics, dual diagnosis among those with mental illness and substance use disorder, drug diversion, food security, participatory research methods and examining the intersectionality of various factors such as gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status in relation to health status.

maijatiesmaki

staff.2012-01-17.0029790498 — 2012-01-17T20:32:15Z

Maija Tiesmaki is a graduate student in the Master of Science (MSc) program in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University. She works as a Research Assistant at the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health & Addictions in Vancouver, BC.

Her primary research interests include the social epidemiology of infectious disease (particularly HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C) within marginalized/vulnerable populations, including street drug users, people living with HIV/AIDS, and incarcerated individuals; substance use policy; and community-based health promotion and prevention initiatives targeting high-risk drug use.

dzabkiewicz

staff.2009-11-27.3734014590 — 2010-01-19T19:25:02Z

Dr. Zabkiewicz is fully versed in longitudinal survey fieldwork, sampling, questionnaire development, interviewing and tracking. She is also knowledgeable in the areas of event history analyses and methods utilizing repeated measures. Her teaching interests include epidemiologic methods, quantitative analyses, epidemiology from a historical perspective and measurement issues surrounding psychiatric and alcohol problems.

More specifically, her research has examined issues of employment and mental health within the context of US welfare reform policy and a rapidly changing labor market. This research was motivated by her long time collaboration on the Welfare Client Longitudinal Study where she developed a passionate interest in reducing socio-economic inequalities and the mental health problems that are often over-represented among disadvantaged populations.

Dr. Zabkiewicz is a social epidemiologist from the University of California at Berkeley. Having been mentored by leaders in psychiatric and social epidemiology, medical sociology, social welfare, and health economics, she has acquired a strong orientation and appreciation towards the broader context in which health problems are embedded. Her interests focus more generally on how social, economic, and policy related factors are intertwined within the broad structural environment and how they interact to influence individual health and the factors that contribute to the onset or continuity of poor health.