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.
Gabrielle Kang-Auger
A facial fracture can affect daily functioning and appearance, yet its longer-term relationship with mental health is not well understood. Gabrielle Kang-Auger is studying Quebec hospital records to examine whether patients hospitalized for facial fractures have different subsequent mental health hospitalization risks than people without such fractures.
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.
Mark Sinyor
A Harry Potter novel becomes a way to teach coping skills in the classroom. Dr. Mark Sinyor and his team use Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to introduce middle-school students to cognitive behavioural therapy through a free mental health literacy curriculum. The MHRC-supported online platform makes the program accessible beyond the classroom, with documented visits from more than 78 countries and territories.
Chris Bowie
Young people experiencing early psychosis can face self-stigma alongside serious mental health challenges. Chris Bowie’s BOOST program combines cognitive behavioural therapy and peer support in an online group format, with follow-up assessments examining changes in stigma, mood, relationships and suicidal thoughts.