October 2023

This month's brainbuzz™ features a new advertising campaign from the CAMH Foundation focused on addiction and substance use, plus recent work between Brock University and CAMH that supports Indigenous Peoples with neurodevelopmental differences. If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out at any time. 

Aristotle Voineskos
VP Research, CAMH
 

CAMH Foundation shines a
spotlight on addiction

New advertising campaign calls on Canadians to help CAMH confront the drug crisis and build a future where no one is left behind

Last week, CAMH Foundation put a spotlight on addiction and substance use in a new marketing campaign. It brings attention to the scale and harms of addiction and substance use that CAMH is confronting through research and treatment, while raising critical funds for life-saving research at Canada’s leading mental health hospital. 

It is estimated that six million Canadians experience addiction in their lifetime and an average of 20 die from opioid toxicity every day. At CAMH alone, the number of people visiting our Emergency Department (ED) due to amphetamine use increased by 700 per cent between 2014 and 2021. The number of young people coming to our ED for substance use disorders went up by 50 per cent between July 2022 and January 2023.

“We’re in the midst of an unprecedented crisis,” says Dr. Leslie Buckley, CAMH’s Chief of Addictions and a key consultant on the campaign. “CAMH is advancing critical research and treatments that are helping people experiencing substance use issues and their families. By putting a spotlight on addiction, we’re highlighting the struggles that people are facing and the need for urgent investments in solutions that make a difference.”

This marketing effort is part of CAMH’s ongoing No One Left Behind fundraising campaign. With a goal of $500 million, No One Left Behind is the world’s largest fundraising campaign for hospital-based mental health research. Philanthropic donations will accelerate mental health research at CAMH and build a new Research & Discovery Centre at CAMH’s Queen Street site in Toronto. These investments will enable researchers to tackle the mental health and addiction crisis, driving discovery in priority areas such as brain science, youth mental health and health equity. The Research & Discovery Centre will house a number of addiction-focused labs and groups, as well as a clinical research areas where patients experiencing mental illness, including addiction, can be part of CAMH studies that improve treatment and outcomes.

 “A significant opportunity is on the horizon to ensure people living with mental illness and addiction have the same access to high-quality care as people needing treatment in other parts of medicine, says Sarah Downey, President & CEO, CAMH. “We are confident that CAMH will continue to inspire hope by leading more breakthrough research discoveries, delivering exceptional care and ensuring that mental health and addiction remain on the national agenda.”

The campaign is featured in a variety of media, including video and radio spots, and will be further amplified on CAMH and CAMH Foundation’s social and digital platforms. It will highlight CAMH’s leadership in addiction research and treatment and include a diverse and powerful collection of stories of people with lived experience of addiction.

“We want people to see this campaign out in the world and know that there’s always hope and help—and they can find it at CAMH,” says Deborah Gillis, President & CEO, CAMH Foundation. “Addiction has touched everyone’s life in one way or another, and as a global leader in mental health research, we have a responsibility to confront this crisis head on. We’re calling on our incredible community of supporters to continue supporting the work that happens at CAMH and help us build a future where no one is left behind.”

This latest fundraising effort was developed in partnership with Camp Jefferson, CAMH’s agency of record. The No One Left Behind Campaign Cabinet comprises 24 dedicated volunteers and mental health champions who are leading the charge toward CAMH's ambitious fundraising goal. The Campaign Cabinet is led by co-Chairs Cameron Fowler and Sandi Treliving, who are also members of the CAMH Foundation Board of Directors.

Click here to donate to CAMH Foundation and learn more about the No One Left Behind campaign.
 

Culturally appropriate addictions care

CAMH is leading research to improve addiction treatment and break down stigma in Muslim communities. 

As part of the No One Left Behind campaign, we are proud to highlight some of the ways CAMH is providing leadership in addictions by offering people new and effective treatments, and inspiring hope through innovative research.

How is CAMH advancing culturally appropriate care for addictions for Muslim communities?
Dr. Ahmed Hassan and his research team are leading the Canadian Muslims Addiction Program project at CAMH. As part of this research, Dr. Hassan and his team brought together collaborators from across the disciplines, including psychiatry, psychology, social work, neuroscience, family medicine, naturopathic medicine and religious studies, to develop program content. The goal is to create evidence-based, culturally appropriate materials that change stigma and knowledge of addiction, adjust attitudes toward addiction, and improve help-seeking behaviour in Muslim communities.

How does stigma prevent those in the Muslim community from seeking treatment for addiction?
Muslims make up more than 3% of the Canadian population. While rates of addictions in this group are significantly lower than other groups, rates increase when Muslims live in Western countries. However, Muslims in Canada tend to use mental health services less than other groups do. Negative attitudes and misconceptions often keep them from seeking treatment for addiction. Some seek traditional healing or counselling from spiritual/religious leaders, who often don’t have mental health training.

How is CAMH helping other health care providers deliver culturally appropriate addiction treatment?
Dr. Hassan and his team have also developed a learning module to provide mental health professionals with evidence-based tools and training on culturally and spiritually sensitive approaches for treating Muslims with addiction. This knowledge sharing will ensure that research led by CAMH impacts people and populations well beyond our hospital.

"We now understand the importance of the holistic treatment approach for addiction as well as the importance of individualized treatment. We are currently incorporating spirituality into treatment. We are developing tailored intervention programs to help minority groups. We are also advancing treatment that uses pharmacotherapies to enhance the effect of psychotherapies. CAMH welcomes diversity and innovation, and it is the best place to advance critical work in this area." - Dr. Ahmed Hassan
 

New Brock-CAMH report calls for enhanced mental health, neurodiversity supports for Indigenous communities

A newly released report co-led by Brock University and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) aims to create and strengthen supports and services for Indigenous Peoples with neurodevelopmental differences.

Published last week, Forming the Circle: Report on the 2023 Gathering on Indigeneity, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities & Mental Health, calls for culturally relevant services, enhanced partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations and a national network for knowledge-sharing and advocacy, among other recommendations.

The report follows a Canadian Institutes of Health Research-funded event held earlier this year intended to elevate the voices of those with lived experience at the intersections of Indigeneity, neurodevelopmental disability and mental health.

Hosted at CAMH, the event was facilitated by Associate Professor Kendra Thomson of Brock’s Department of Applied Disability Studies and the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and Community Support Specialist Louis Busch of the Shkaabe Makwa Centre for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Wellness at CAMH. The event was attended by Indigenous Peoples with lived experience, Elders and Knowledge Keepers and representatives from Indigenous organizations from across Canada.

The final report reflects the collective findings of Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous allies who participated in the gathering and in the iterative feedback process that informed the report’s development.

“We need to listen to what people want and need in order to affect meaningful change,” says Thomson. “We heard from people who are labelled with neurodevelopmental disabilities and are Indigenous who don’t often have a voice and aren’t asked about their take on things. We need to listen to community.”

Busch says many neurodiverse people say they experience “a sense of disconnection, a sense of struggling with their identities and belonging — and that’s obviously compounded by the disconnection that many Indigenous Peoples feel from their culture and the loss of culture brought by colonization.”

“There is an urgent need to ensure that culturally relevant services and supports are available to Indigenous Peoples with neurodevelopmental differences, that Elders are involved in the various initiatives and programming and that all steps are community-led,” he says.

The report is designed to be accessible to a wide audience of people with lived experience, family members, clinicians and policy-makers, and features strengths, challenges and recommendations for both immediate and long-term action. Leading with strengths is important, says Busch, as one of the key takeaways from the report is the perspective on neurodevelopmental differences in Indigenous communities.

“We heard repeatedly that children are a gift, and also come with gifts, and that people with neurodevelopmental disabilities come with unique gifts that are often under-appreciated,” he says. “Our discussion showed that prioritizing strength-based approaches and autonomy is important.”

The report’s short- and long-term recommendations address funding to support land-based learning and community-led programs, improved services through enhanced cultural safety and access and the development of formal calls to action to meet the needs of Indigenous Peoples with neurodevelopmental differences, among other priority areas.

But the establishment of a National Network on Indigeneity and Neurodevelopmental Disability tops the lists of recommendations.

“The gathering highlighted that there are many people doing similar work — trying to raise awareness and acceptance and to improve services and, ultimately, quality of life for Indigenous people with neurodevelopmental differences — but we aren't well connected,” says Busch.

Thomson says acknowledging and understanding differences is the first step to building the network.

“Different cultures have different stories and teachings and ideas, and the report shows only a small sample, but we can draw attention to this important intersection of unheard voices and underserved populations,” she says. “We want to start a conversation among people who are working in silos across the country and start building infrastructure to connect people of like interest.”

As the network grows, Thomson believes the primary goal must be to continue creating opportunities for people with lived experience to share their own expertise.

Anyone interested in contacting the team is invited to connect via the project website. 

About Brock University
Brock University is a comprehensive institution with rich academic programs and world-class research activity. With about 600 full-time faculty members and researchers, Brock's robust academic scope offers more than 90 undergraduate and 50 graduate programs. The University’s 19,000 students come from across Canada and around the world. Brock’s renowned student experience is enriched by an emphasis on experiential education, as illustrated by community partnerships, volunteerism and one of Ontario's largest and most successful co-op programs. Learn more at brocku.ca.
 

Buzz-worthy News

• CAMH psychiatrist Dr. Meng-Chuan Lai and post-doctoral fellow Dr. Anna IR van der Miesen spoke with Spectrum about their concerns with lawmakers who are misusing studies exploring the link between transness and autism to restrict gender-affirming care.
  https://twitter.com/CAMHResearch/status/1701605714685464949
• New research by Dr. Alexia Polillo and Dr. Nicole Kozloff published in JAMA Network Open found disparities in care pathways to early psychosis intervention services, suggesting the need for improved identification and access to evidence-based services for youths/young adults with psychosis. 
  https://twitter.com/AVoineskos/status/1702273515125121482
• Hot off the press! Check out the Centre for Youth Bipolar Disorder's latest newsletter, featuring a recap from our World Bipolar Day events, a new webinar series, hot-off-the-press research findings and much more!
  https://mailchi.mp/07c425ed8fb9/cybdnewsletterseptember2023