Building for Success: Mental Health Research and Knowledge Exchange in Ontario

Heather Bullock, MSc., Manager, Knowledge Exchange, HSRCU, CAMH

Aimee Watson, MSW, (during study period) Senior Policy Analyst, Mental Health and Addictions Unit, MOHLTC

Background

• Significant entry of new funds into community mental health system 2004-2007 (50% increase in 4 years)

• Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) committed to assess impact of capacity enhancement through routine accountability reporting and evaluation research

• MOHLTC requested a proposal from the Health Systems Research and Consulting Unit (HSRCU), Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

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SYSTEM ENHANCEMENT EVALUATION INITIATIVE (SEEi) - NINE RESEARCH STUDIES

Two HSRCU Phase I Research Studies (3 year studies)• Impact Study (administrative data)• Matryoshka Study (primary data collection investigating continuity of care)

Seven Phase II Research Studies (18 month – 2 year studies)• Court outreach – Ottawa• Fidelity and Recovery ACT study – Hamilton• Police mobile crisis services-review of three models-London• Crisis system network-Waterloo/Wellington • Integrated crisis-case management-Kingston • Service match (CCAR)-Kingston• Community-based discharge planning - Sarnia

Project Overview – Research

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Project Overview – Knowledge Exchange

ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION OF DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS, STARTING FROM RESEARCH CONCEPTULATIZATION

Original proposal called for significant knowledge exchange component to be part of Phase I and Phase II Studies

• Peer reviews AND relevance reviews for all research studies

• Research teams included community agency (service provider) partners• Executive Advisory Committee and Partner Organizations provided input and

feedback throughout (including RFPs)

Project Overview – Knowledge Exchange

Original proposal contained the idea of building a provincial knowledge exchange function extending beyond SEEI

•The Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Knowledge Exchange Network (OMHAKEN) will improve the quality of mental health research, services, supports and policy by linking researchers, providers, planners, decision-makers, consumers and families and engaging them in knowledge sharing, knowledge creation, and knowledge translation activities.

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INTENT TO BUILD A KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE NETWORK THAT SUPPORTS THE SEEI RESEARCH, BUT WITH A LARGER VISION

Target Audiences

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• Consumer/Survivors

• Families

• Provincial Stakeholder Groups (CMHA, Ontario)

• Broader Research Community

• Service Providers (community mental health, police, courts, Hospitals

• Service Planners (LHINs)

• System/Policy Planners (MOHLTC, Health Canada, other Ontario Ministries)

‘Dissemination’ Goals

GOALS FOCUSED ON ENGAGEMENT AS WELL AS DISSEMINATION

Providing research & evaluation evidence to: • Ontarians regarding their investments in community mental

health• Decision makers for future policy and service planning (government, LHINs)• Service providers to assist in service planning and improvements• Consumer/Survivors and Families to empower their decision-making

Contributing high quality, Ontario health services research to the academic community (students and researchers)

Enhancing research capacity for all stakeholders

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Sources/Messengers

PROJECT’S COLLABORATIVE NATURE MEANS MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF MESSENGERS PARTICIPATED

•Almost all target audiences represented on Executive Advisory Committee

•Project Partner Organizations have provincial reach

•OMHAKEN network-of-network approach with Leads is another messenger

•Knowledge brokers (HB & AW) facilitated connections, and were also key messengers

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Dissemination Activities, Tools, Timing & Responsibilities

RANGE OF DISSEMINTATION TOOLS/ACTIVITIES USED THROUGH-OUT COURSE OF THE PROJECT

• Results disseminated when they became available• Released variety of reports including:

• SEEI Interim report / SEEI Final report• Research study reports released at various points during research

project including study final reports• Provided research results to stakeholders in as-needed fashion

• KT events (funded by OMHAKEN) to support local dissemination and KE of research findings

•Presentations/consultation including government focused policy dialogues

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ADDITIONAL DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES/TOOLS: • OMHAKEN newsletter• OMHAKEN and SEEI website • Widely subscribed e-newsletter (CMHA MH notes)• Tailored short supplemental reports on specific topics of interest• Academic (on-going)

• Funding for Special Issue of CJCMH• Creating special session at provincial conference that has broad range of

attendees• Conference presentations

• Information shared on partner websites• Regular research updates provided at all EAC, MOHLTC meetings

throughout the 4 years10

Dissemination Activities, Tools, Timing & Responsibilities

Evaluation

KT PIECE (OMHAKEN) CURRENTLY UNDERGOING EVALUATION

Evaluation through: • Web survey• Key informant interviews• Capturing ongoing communication

and dissemination activities (past and current)

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SOME METRICS SO FAR

• 100 out of 300 community agencies participated directly in SEEI

• Approx. 200 people subscribe to OMHAKEN list serve

• 52 presentations at scientific conferences

• 42 other presentations

• 8 Journal publications

• 35 other reports

Impacts to Date

UPTAKE BY RANGE OF AUDIENCESInternational: Japan (system planners); Special Needs Offenders conference

National: MHCC

Provincial Policy: Ontario Minister’s Advisory Group for MH&A, Provincial Select Committee Presentations: Deputy Minister,

Paula Goering, Paul GarfinkelInput into CAMH positions for various strategies Data used in response to Auditor’s Report (Deputy Minister)

Regional Planning: LHINs are using report for health service planning

Local Planning: Local pockets of ongoing activities and improvements (e.g. regions continue to use findings for local quality improvement and

organization – WW crisis services; Frontenac crisis services)

Impacts to Date

A community mental health research initiative funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in partnership with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario, Ontario Federation of Community

Mental Health and Addiction Programs and the Ontario Mental Health Foundation.

SEEI Partners

Visit us! www.ehealthontario.ca