Provincial

SASKATCHEWAN TEAM FOR THE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION OF ADDICTIONS TREATMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES (STREAM)

FUND: Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, Health Research Group Grant – Phase II

PARTNERS: University of Saskatchewan Department of Psychiatry, Family Medicine, Sociology, School of Public Health; First Nations University of Canada School of Indian Social Work; Prince Albert Parkland Health Region; Calder Centre; Métis Addictions Council of Saskatchewan Inc.; Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, Community Care Branch; National Treatment Strategy Leadership Team; Community Advisory Team (Elder Campbell Papequash, Cynthia Shorting, Russell Bone, Joseph Custer, Glen McCallum, Carolyn Kennedy)

The objective of the Saskatchewan Team for Research and Evaluation of Addiction and Mental Health is to reduce the health and social consequences of problematic substance use and mental health problems in both rural and urban communities in Saskatchewan, with focused attention on First Nations and Métis peoples. With the awarding of a Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, Health Research Group Phase I Grant, STREAM has developed a research strategy to provide culturally appropriate addictions treatments and mental health services for people in Saskatchewan, with an emphasis on Aboriginal peoples. With its Phase II grant, STREAM will turn this strategy into action. Stream is focusing on assessing existing and developing innovative tools to measure change (i.e., healing) in individuals participating in substance abuse programming, and developing and pilot-testing a program evaluation workbook that organizations can use to plan their substance abuse and mental health program evaluations.

HORSE AS HEALER: TREATING VOLATILE SOLVENT ABUSE

FUND:

Project 1 – Office of the Research Chair in Substance Abuse, University of Saskatchewan, funded by a grant from the Ministry of Health

Project 2 – Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research

PARTNERS:

Project 1 – Nimkee NupiGawagan Healing Centre, University of Regina (Faculty of Social Work), Keystone Equine Centre, Lambton Equine Assisted Learning Centre

Project 2 – University of Calgary (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine), University of Regina (Faculty of Social Work), White Buffalo Youth Inhalant Treatment Centre, Cartier Stables, Youth Solvent Addiction Committee, National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation, Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

PROJECT 1 – Working with the Nimkee NupiGawagan Healing Centre (NNHC), in Muncey, Ontario – which provides residential treatment to First Nations and Inuit youth who abuse solvents – and both the Keystone Equine Centre and the Lambton Equine Assisted Learning Centre, this study has a dual focus: (a) to document the general experiences and lessons learned of First Nations and Inuit youth attending NNHC’s residential treatment centre with the Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) programs, and (b) to document the connection between the EAL programs and NNHC’s culture-based model of healing (i.e. resiliency). A triangulation of qualitative methods to address these two areas are being undertaken: interviews with program participants, staff interviews, review of EAL facilitator and NNHC staff notes, youth journaling following EAL participation, and researcher observation at the EAL program.

PROJECT 2 – To help fill the serious gap in research evidence in the equine guided interventions field, our multi-disciplinary community-based research team has adopted a holistic, culturally-informed framework to examine the role of Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) in youths’ solvent abuse treatment, behavioural change, and well-being. The question this exploratory study sets out to examine is: Does EAL contribute to the residential treatment and the bio-psycho-social-spiritual well-being of First Nations youth who abuse solvents, and if yes, how?

EVALUATING CHILD AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SERVICES IN SASKATCHEWAN

FUND: Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, Community Care Branch, Dr. C. Randy Duncan

PARTNERS: Saskatchewan Regional Health Authorities

On behalf of the Department of Sociology, Dr. Dell has entered into a contract with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health to facilitate a formative evaluation of the Child and Youth Mental Health and Addiction Services across the provinces’ 13 Health Regions. The Ministry (Community Care Branch) has a goal of targeting the effective use of child and youth mental health resources toward improved mental health and well-being functioning for children, youth, and their families. The current focus is on implementing two complementary client outcome indicators based on the following measures: a) the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS); and b) the ASIST for Agencies (Outcome Rating Scale [ORS] and Session Rating Scale [SRS]). Dr. C. Randy Duncan is the lead investigator to facilitate the implementation of these outcome indicators, assist the Health Regions in pilot testing the associated measures, and collect, analyze, and report on the data.