Mental Health & Addictions Research Program

Program Lead: Paul Kurdyak
Program Coordinator: [email protected]

The program has many well-trained and experienced ICES scientists and numerous trainees mentored by MHA Program scientists. Engagement and research activities span Ontario, including Toronto (University of Toronto), Hamilton (McMaster University), and Kingston (Queen’s University). Main areas of interests for the program include:

• Access to, delivery of, and cost of mental health and addiction services
• Psychiatric/medical comorbidity
• Child and adolescent mental health
• Perinatal mental health
• Social determinants of mental health
• Addictions

In each of these areas, we take a lifespan or developmental approach, recognizing the importance of transitions (e.g., adolescence to adulthood) and of continuities and changes in the experience of mental health and addiction problems (etiology, chronic course of illness). We also recognize the influence of the developmental period on the interactions between individuals with these problems and care providers (micro-, meso-, and macro- levels).

Explore our directory of ICES Scientists who support province-wide research collaboration.

Within the Government of Ontario, the MHA Program has a primary partnership with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. However, because mental health service provision is multi-sectoral, the MHA Program has partnerships with a number of other Ministries, including Children and Youth Services, Education, and Community and Social Services. Scientists in the MHA Program are affiliated with the following academic institutions:

• Hospital for Sick Children
• London Health Sciences Centre
• Hamilton Health Sciences
• St Joseph’s Hospital (Hamilton)
• University Health Network (Toronto)
• Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Toronto)
• St. Michael’s Hospital (Toronto)
• Kingston General Hospital
• Ottawa Hospital