Supporting impactful community research
Our grants and research awards are designed to seed-fund research projects led by experienced academic researchers and community researchers/service providers collaborating to address gaps in community mental health and addressing community needs, while integrating the insights of people with lived experience into each stage of their project.
Susan Petryk and Jill Bally
Long waits and distance can make specialist care difficult to access for families across Saskatchewan. Co-principal investigators Susan Petryk and Jill Bally are exploring a consultation model that connects children and caregivers with a specialist by video while a nurse practitioner provides support in person, closer to home.
Denise Sinclair
Denise Sinclair is exploring how Black male youth aged 12–20 experience the youth justice system and how racial bias may affect their mental well-being. Their accounts of distress, resilience and coping could inform more equitable, culturally responsive youth justice and mental health supports.
Thomas Willman
Suicide-prevention planning requires evidence that reflects the communities and regions it is meant to serve. Thomas Willman is examining Ontario coroner records from 2015 to 2025 to better understand the circumstances associated with suicide among First Nations, Inuit and Métis adults in Northern Ontario.
Malcolm Disbrowe
Safe and stable housing matters for young people’s well-being, yet Indigenous youth can face overlapping barriers when seeking support. Malcolm Disbrowe is examining Indigenous youths’ experiences of Winnipeg housing systems to identify culturally safe, community-informed approaches to housing access and stability.
Amy Ecclestone
How satisfied are people in Canada with the mental health and substance use services they receive? Analyzing MHRC’s national polling, Amy Ecclestone documented differences across service types, symptom severity and income. Her findings highlight gaps in access to care and the need for support that better meets the needs of people facing complex challenges.
Sianna Williamson
Finding meaningful work can support well-being, but employment systems do not always reflect Inuit cultural and social realities. Sianna Williamson’s research with Ivirtivik explored the employment experiences of Inuit people in Montréal, identifying barriers and supports that can inform more culturally safe and inclusive approaches to employment.
Maureen Plante
Restorative justice may offer survivors of sexual violence another way to pursue accountability and healing, but programs need to reflect Indigenous perspectives and community needs. Maureen Plante’s project builds on earlier community-engaged work to bring Indigenous-specific input into guidance for developing restorative justice programs in Alberta.
Dante Carter
Economic abuse can limit a person’s independence, safety and well-being, particularly when access to housing, employment and financial resources is already constrained. Cree researcher Dante Carter is examining how colonial economic structures intersect with experiences of economic abuse in Onion Lake Cree Nation, and how Cree perspectives and community-led approaches may inform healing and economic well-being.