As a member, you get access to the various tools and support mechanisms put in place by the Atlantic Node to develop and promote intervention research in addiction.
The Research Development Program supports node members in an increasingly competitive research grant landscape. An envelope of $10,000 to $15,000 from CRISM-Atlantic Node funds is available each year for emerging and promising projects.
CRISM Atlantic members can take advantage of the node’s partnerships with other provincial and national networks to provide funding towards project and protocol development in research areas that are strongly correlated with interventions in the field of addiction.
CRISM has developed guidelines for Opiod Use Disorders, Injectable OAT, Lower Risk Cannabis Use, and Alcohol Use Disorder.
CRISM members, particularly undergraduate and graduate students, can identify active researchers and practitioners who may be able to offer training in the form of research assistantships or other practical experiences. These opportunities can become career-defining experiences that can help young scholars and others develop the skills and relationships needed to advance in their profession.
Governance of the Atlantic node includes Advisory Councils that ensure that work is designed, conducted and shared in a way that considers PWLLE’s and Indigenous People’s perspectives and needs through the lens of sex and gender. Node members may participate in these Councils as well as Working Groups that guide the Node’s research activities.
Node members represent interests from many different perspectives – academic research, clinical practice, community engagement, public policy, health care organizations, and others. Membership in the node ensures continuous communication and awareness of opportunities to connect with those with similar or complementary interests and skills.
If you are interested in staying connected with CRISM, it is as easy as signing up as a member (link at the bottom of the page). In doing so, you can expect to receive announcements and knowledge products (e.g., Newsletters, Fact sheets, etc.) on the network’s progress, projects, and outputs, including invitations to online and in-person events
If you are interested in getting involved further, there are a variety of ways to engage with us!
• No! We are a broad network of institutions, individuals, community organizations and initiatives, and we recognize that expertise within the scope of substance use comes in many ways. We welcome you to tell us about yourself, what you are interested in and your experiences; together we can find meaningful engagement to better assist our communities.
We strive for excellence in equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. These tenets are fundamental in substance use, mental health, and addictions research. To ensure comprehensive outcomes, CRISM actively invites and collaborates with youth, people with lived and living experience, including Atlantic Indigenous, Black, and other BIPOC communities, considers sex and gender perspectives (including the diverse needs of LGBTQ2IA+ communities), embraces neurodiversity, and meaningfully engages researchers, academics, and other healthcare professionals. Through fostering unity in a professional community, research led by CRISM members contributes to more tailored interventions, enhances existing treatments and therapies, reduces health disparities, and fosters a culturally responsive approach in addressing substance use, mental health, and addictions in urban and rural Atlantic Canadian communities.
Through participatory engagement, Indigenous communities can stay connected to, network with, and lead projects with the broader substance use research community. In doing so, Indigenous voices can provide input to guide and inform substance use research that recognizes specific community needs, and Indigenous ways of knowing and doing.
Yes!
There are several on-going CIHR funded projects:
Funded by Indigenous Services Canada and in partnership with the CHUM Addiction Medicine Services:
Truth and reconciliation are an iterative practice. To effectively address the Calls to Action in health number 18-24, CRISM Atlantic is committed to implementing the following efforts across our Node:
Collaborative Partnerships: Forge partnerships with Indigenous communities, organizations, and individuals to ensure a collaborative and culturally sensitive approach. Engage in ongoing dialogue and consultation to understand community needs and priorities.
Culturally Relevant Research: Conduct research that is grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems and respects the cultural, spiritual, and historical contexts of Indigenous communities. This includes but is not exclusive to integrating Indigenous knowledges in research design and implementation.
Capacity Building: Support capacity-building initiatives for Indigenous researchers and community members. Offer training, mentorship, and resources to empower Indigenous individuals to actively participate in research activities and lead their initiatives.
Community-Based Research: Prioritize community-based research methodologies that involve meaningful engagement and participation of Indigenous communities. Involve community members in all stages of the research process, including identifying research questions, data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
Holistic Approach: Adopt a holistic approach to substance use, mental health, and addictions research that acknowledges the interconnectedness of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Consider the broader determinants of health, such as colonialism, social, economic, historical factors, and race-based policies.
Trauma-Informed Care: Recognize and address the intergenerational trauma and the on-going experiences by Indigenous communities because of colonization and residential schools. Ensure that research practices and interventions are trauma-informed, promoting healing and resilience.
Knowledge Translation and Exchange: Develop strategies to effectively communicate research findings to Indigenous communities and relevant stakeholders. Translate research findings into accessible formats, including Indigenous languages, and actively engage in knowledge exchange activities, such as workshops, conferences, and community presentations.
Policy and Advocacy: Advocate for the integration of research evidence into policies and programs that address substance use, mental health, and addictions in Indigenous communities. Collaborate with policymakers to develop culturally appropriate policies that align with the Calls to Action.
Ethical Considerations: Adhere to ethical guidelines and principles in all research activities involving Indigenous communities including OCAP Principles to ensure Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession is clearly defined in the research questions. Ensures that the researcher is trained in the responsibilities of Tri-Policy Statement on Ethical Research Involving Humans Obtain by proper informed consent, protect privacy and confidentiality, and ensure research protocols are respectful and culturally appropriate. Ensures that unique ethical considerations of the engaging community will be respected, and unspoken rules of conduct will be a learning process inclusive of Elders and Knowledge Carriers. Engaging with the values of the 7 Sacred Teachings, the 7th Generation Guiding Principle, and Walking Softly on the Earth. Realizing that this can only be achieved through ethical considerations of the 2-Eyed Seeing Approach, Piloiangitasi Teachings, and considerations for M’sit Nogema “All my Relations.”
Long-Term Commitment: Recognize that addressing the Calls to Action requires sustained, long-term commitment to Indigenous health priorities. Continuously using a process of decolonization to evaluate and adapt research initiatives based on community input and their evolving needs. Foster long-lasting relationships and partnerships with Indigenous communities to ensure meaningful impact that is on-going, consistent, reciprocal, balanced, respectful and necessary.
CRISM uses many strategies to communicate and collaborate with the broader substance use community:
Sign up as a member! It is free and comes with no obligations. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Become a Member”
* Indigenous refers to Inuit, First Nations, Metis and all first peoples across Turtle Island.
crismatlantic@gmail.com
Dalhousie University
1355 Oxford St., P.O. Box 15000
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2