Background

History

Alberta's 2004 Provincial Mental Health Plan identified the urgent need for an increase in research and evidence-based practices to advance the mental health of Albertans and the system of care. In response, the former Alberta Mental Health Board (AMHB) was mandated to collaboratively develop a mental health research plan and design a provincial Research Program.

Through extensive stakeholder consultations, the AMHB led the collaborative development of The Plan for a Mental Health Research Program for Alberta (2005). The Plan set out the key features, principles and strategic directions for a new pan-Alberta mental health research enterprise to support the information and innovation needs of our system of care.

Today

The Program name, now "Alberta Addiction & Mental Health Research Partnership Program", has been updated to reflect the strong link between addiction and mental illness as well as the integration of the two areas across Alberta's healthcare system and in other provinces across Canada.

The Research Program mobilizes a number of provincial strengths through a strong commitment amongst all of the key partners and stakeholders to collaborate in advancing the addiction and mental health research agenda. 

The success of the Research Program is assured with the collective efforts of the Addiction & Mental Health Research Partnership Committee (RPC) and other stakeholders who have demonstrated a willingness to work together for the shared goal of advancing mental health.

The Alberta Addition & Mental Health Research Partnership Program focuses on building capacity in addiction and mental health services and population health research. This will be done with a focus on four Research Priority Themes which overlay the goals, objectives and strategies of the Research Program. 

The Alberta Addiction & Mental Health Research Partnership Program has implemented several successful initiatives to date.

For more information, the Mental Health Research Partnership Program for Alberta Three Year Business Plan: 2007-2010 provides an overview of the key features of the Alberta Mental Health Research Partnership Program.