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CHSRF/CIHR Chair in Health Services

The CHSRF/CIHR Chair award was the result of a national competition hosted by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research that included the submission of a program proposal "Generating and disseminating best practices in mental health and addiction", which outlined short and long term objectives. The ten year award is part of a strategy of capacity building by the federal funding bodies. It differs from many endowed Chairs because of its explicit focus on training, knowledge exchange and linkage (in addition to research), and its requirements for accountability to external parties (CHSRF and decision-maker partners). The Chair's program was devised with the input of many Unit staff and has significant implications for our work. With this award, the Unit has the potential to become a leader in knowledge exchange and in research dissemination.

Since September 2000, a number of the initiatives associated with this program have begun, including:

• The hiring of a Manager, Knowledge Transfer who has been oriented and is now functioning as the liaison between the Unit and provincial and national policy-makers. Dale Butterill has been able to quickly define this new role and has established links with others across Canada who are in similar positions.
• The recruitment in July 2001 of another scientist, Nora Jacobson, who is an expert in qualitative methods to increase our capacity for research and training.
• The development of a closer relationship with the policy branch in the Ontario Ministry of Health, including the organization of a retreat to further this agenda at the end of April 2001.
• The completion of a national workshop "Knowledge Exchange in the Context of Policy Development" with the Federal Provincial Territorial Advisory Network on Mental Health.
• The establishment of a summer studentship program by Carolyn Dewa, Education Co-ordinator for the Unit, and the development of an education plan that outlines cross appointments to University Departments and expected activities over the next three years.
• An invitation extended to Paula Goering to participate in a number of national research forums and an appointment to the Advisory Board of the Health Services and Policy Institute of CIHR. Paula is also a member of the review panel for CHSRF.
• Partnering with the MOHLTC in the design and implementation of a provincial policy forum on systems integration.

To find out more about our Knowledge Transfer initiatives, please click here.