Lakehead University undergraduate psychology expert Aislinn Mashkash says Canada's new network will change the way mental health exams are conducted.
THUNDER BAY — Federal funding is supporting new initiatives aimed at improving mental health care for children across the country, including several studies in Thunder Bay.
Aislin Mashkas, associate professor of psychology at Lakehead University, is the local director of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Examination Network, and said the network will “ultimately lead to the development and implementation of Canada's child and adolescent mental health exams. I think we're going to have to change the way we do things.”
The network will be led by a team of researchers from 12 institutions in six states.
Government-funded Canadian Institutes of Health Research, through its Clinical Trials Acceleration Consortium, has allocated $150,000 to get the project off the ground.
While this funding is an important first step, the network is also exploring partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and technology startups to build on the research findings and streamline access to medicines for families.
Officials said treatments developed through these partnerships could be introduced into clinical care settings, ensuring children and youth have access to safe treatments that are vetted and prescribed for their specific needs. It says it will be accessible.
75% of mental health disorders occur before the age of 25, and one in eight children under the age of 18 has a mental health disorder that requires professional services.
Mashkash said the network will empower researchers and community partners to “develop studies that reflect the complexities of the real world, recruit diverse and representative populations, and conduct multicenter clinical trials across the country.” It said it would provide critical infrastructure.
She will ensure that the unique circumstances of northwestern Ontario's youth and community partners are reflected in the network's work.
“One of my priorities is to ensure that the needs of underserved and remote communities like ours are taken into consideration when considering clinical trials and projects.
“So we've been able to see collaboration with a variety of child mental health organizations in Thunder Bay and surrounding areas. … Many organizations already have partnerships,” Mashquash said in an interview Wednesday. Ta.
“We will be able to bring them in more formally and ask for their input on what will be important to meet their needs.
“And one of the great things about this network is that it connects researchers across the country who have specific expertise in these large-scale studies with smaller clinical sites that don't have the internal resources to conduct the projects. I think it's possible to do something like this. “
Mushquash looks forward to being able to identify the needs of community organizations and match those needs with people across Canada who have the skills and time to develop and implement projects in partnership with local groups.
She has already conducted her own randomized controlled trial, but said it would take a lot of time to work alone.
“If we get support from all over the country, we will bring more knowledge into the system and not only build the capacity of local community organizations but also train trainees to learn about this and become the next generation of people who can take on this work. can. “
