Creating Together, a process designed to co-create a mental health and addictions research agenda for Ontario, has now completed all in-person and Ontario Telemedicine Network consultations.
The consultations have generated a great deal of momentum in the Creating Together process, with approximately 280 diverse stakeholder participants providing their input to the draft research agenda. Participants expressed strong interest in development of a co-created research agenda, and having the opportunity to network and share ideas with other local stakeholders and researchers. Consultations have been held in Thunder Bay, London, Toronto, Ottawa, Kenora, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, Windsor, Hamilton, Welland, Waterloo and Kingston.
The next phase in the Creating Together process is for stakeholders from across the province to complete an online survey, expected in September. The purpose of the survey is to reach a broader stakeholder group, and to further refine and prioritize a jointly developed mental health and addictions research agenda.
The Creating Together process is led by the Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Knowledge Exchange Network (OMHAKEN), in partnership with co-sponsors and supporters. These partnering organizations are providing inputs at each phase of the process, facilitating participation in the consultations with their own stakeholder networks, and will help to promote the final co-created research agenda once released.
In addition, co-sponsors have agreed to use the results of the process to influence their own research activities. Co-sponsors include the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the Ontario HIV Treatment Network, Rainbow Health Ontario, the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario, and the Seniors Health Research Transfer Network.
Supporters include Addictions Ontario, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario, the Ontario Common Assessment of Need, Echo: Improving Women’s Health in Ontario, the Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addiction Programs, the Ontario Mental Health Foundation, the Ontario Peer Development Initiative, and the Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health in Ontario.
For more information about Creating Together, and to take part in the online survey, please contact Angela Yip, research analyst with the OMHAKEN Coordinating Centre, at angela_yip@camh.net, or visit www.creatingtogether.net.