Aventa is committed to evidence-based Best Practices and as such, participates in community-based research in order to enhance knowledge in the field of addiction and mental health.
CRISM
CRISM (Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse (CRISM): Prairie Node Research, is being led by Dr. Cameron T. Wild (University of Alberta), David Hodgins (University of Calgary) and Colleen Dell (University of Saskatchewan), a Regional Coordinating Committee, Regional Advisory Panel, University based researchers and service providers. Aventa is a member on the project as a service provider and may be a research site in the future phases of the project.
The Prairie CRISM node will examine ways to keep people in addiction treatment longer, and explore web-based resources for screening and brief interventions for substance misuse. The regional team includes experts in clinical research, health services, and First Nations and Métis health.
CRISM is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), through a federal anti-drug strategy. The objective is to translate evidence-based interventions for illicit and prescription drug misuse into clinical practice, community based prevention and health system changes. CRISM is modeled after the US National Institute of Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network and will be a national consortium of academic researchers, service providers, consumers and policy makers. This initiative will create effective and trusting collaborative working relationships among regional affiliates and develope accessible resources for substance misuse interventions that are of value to researchers, service providers and consumer advocates.
FASD
FASD has a significant impact on the affected individual and their family and is likely over-represented in community programs/agencies involved in substance abuse and mental health. With support of the Alberta Government FASD Cross-Ministry Committee, a Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) is being piloted at four sites in Alberta, including Aventa. This TIP is designed for service providers who are working in the substance abuse and/or mental health field. The goal of the TIP is to help identify both women at risk of giving birth to a child with FASD and individuals who may have FASD themselves, and ultimately facilitate provision of appropriate services and supports. The goal of this project is to collect program-level data on the Alberta pilot of the TIP to determine its efficacy and feasibility before it is implemented over a broader range of agencies.
Results from the Alberta Pilot of the Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) for FASD
Dr. Monica L Zilberman
Monica Zilberman, MD, PhD, is a Psychiatrist who graudated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Sal Paulo and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at the Addiction Centre, University of Calgary, specializing in gender issues in addiction.
Dr. Zilberman was a Psychiatrist Fellow at Aventa from 2001 – 2002 and during this time, she conducted the following research with an emphasis on drug addiction and mental health in women, as well as impusiveness and emotional response.
- Personality changes in women recovering from substance-related dependence
- Relationship between craving and personality in treatment-seeking women with substance-related disorders
- The impact of gender, depression, and personality on craving
- Survey of smoking cessation services in Canadian addiction programs
Addiction / Homelessness
Alberta Opioid Response Surveillance Report 2018 Q4 (Alberta Health)
Alberta Point in Time Count: Calgary Preliminary Report
A Sober Mom’s Tools for Overcoming Guilt
Point in Time Count – Calgary Homeless Foundation
Aboriginal Homelessness in Canada – A Literature Review
Surviving Not Thriving: Barriers to Housing for People Leaving Violence
Calgary Homeless Foundation – 10 yr Plan to End Homelessness
Calgary Homeless Foundation – 10 yr Plan to End Homelessness – Update
Canada’s Low Risk Alcohol Guidelines Communications Toolkit
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
Coalescing on Women and Substance Use
The Homeless Hub
Environmental Scan of Prenatal Services for Marginalized Women in Alberta: Specialized Services
Finding Quality Addiction Care in Canada
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Opioid Related Deaths in Alberta in 2017: Review of the Medical Examiner Data (Released July 2019)
Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health – Facing Addiction in America
Counselling and Addiction Professionals
Addiction Professional
Addiction Resource Guide (USA)
Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation
The Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta
Canadian Network of Substance Abuse and Allied Health Professionals
Counselor Magazine
International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals
COVID-19
Achieve Centre Covid-19 Printable Handouts
AHS Help in Tough Times
Center for Healthy Minds University of Wisconsin-Madison COVID-19 Well-Being Toolkit and Resources
Center for Mindfulness and Compassion guided daily online practices https://www.chacmc.org/connect
Centre for Online Mental Health Support (COMHS)
Coping with Coronavirus (COVID-19) Self Help Tools (Anxiety Canada)
Distress Centre COVID-19 Report September 2020
Healthy Together, your guide to family and home life during COVID-19
Mental Wellness Moment Videos with Dr. Nicholas Mitchell (AHS)
Mindful Healthcare Speakers Series
Stronger Minds
Text4Hope
Virtual Stress Management Program (Shoppers Drug Mart and SilverCloud)
Wellness Together Canada: Mental Health and Substance Use Support
Family Violence and Addiction
Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters
Family Violence and Substance Use
Family Violence Hurts Everyone: A Framework to End Family Violence in Alberta
Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile
Family Violence Initiative
Making the links: Violence, trauma and mental health
Report on Violence Against women, Mental Health and Substance Use
Gambling
Alberta Gaming Research Institute
Canadian Problem Gambling Certification Board
Problem Gambling
Mental Health and Substance Use
AHS Performance of the Addiction and Mental Health System 2014 – 2015
Creating Connections: Alberta’s Addiction and Mental Health Strategy
Health Canada Concurrent Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
Lieutenant Governor Launches Mental Health and Addiction Initiative – Press Release
The Lieutenant Governor’s Circle on Mental Health and Addiction
The Mental Health Services Protection Act
Valuing Mental Health Report December 2015
Valuing Mental Health Next Steps June 2017
Nutrition / Health
British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health
Free Food in Calgary – AHS
Food Resources in Calgary 2011 – Emergency Food
Food Resources in Calgary 2011 – Low Cost Food
Hand Hygiene Challenge
MyHealth Alberta
Primary Care Networks
Philanthropy / Volunteer Organizations
The Calgary Foundation
Propellus (formerly Volunteer Calgary)
Pregnancy and Substance Use / FASD
Calgary Fetal Alcohol Network
Canada FASD Research Network
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse – Report on Licit and Illicit Drug Use during Pregnancy
FASD – Management and Policy Perspectives of FASD
FASD Service Networks
FASD Support and Resources in Alberta
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Management and Policy Perspectives of FASD, First Edition
Government of Alberta FASD 10 Year Strategic Plan
Government of Alberta Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan
Physicians for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Prevention Project
So You Have Been Diagnosed with FASD – Now What?
Teaching for the Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Research
Addictive Behaviours Laboratory – University of Calgary
Alcohol and drug use among university students: gender differences
Alcohol Consumption in Canada 2015
Are There Cognitive and Behavioural Approaches Specific to the Treatment of Pathological Gambling?
Gender Differences in Gambling Progression
Girls, Women and Substance Use
International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviors
Journal of Gambling Behaviours
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Relationship between craving and personality in treatment-seeking women with substance-related disorders
Substance Use Disorders: Sex Differences and Psychiatric Comorbidities
Windows of Opportunity – A statistical profile of substance use among women in their childbearing years in Alberta
Women and Addiction: A Trauma-Informed Approach
Research – Tobacco
ASHES (Addiction Smoking Health Education Service)
Nicotine and Tobacco Research
Tobacco Control
International Society for the Prevention of Tobacco Induced Diseases
Trauma
Becoming Trauma Informed
Beyond Trauma: A Healing Journey for Women
Creating Trauma-informed Child Welfare Systems: A Guide for Administrators
Developing Trauma-informed Organizations: A Tool Kit
Freedom from Violence: Tools for working with Trauma, Mental Health and Substance Use
Handbook on Sensitive Practice for Healthcare Practitioner: Lessons from Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Helping Men Recover: A Program for Treating Addiction
A Long Journey Home: A Guide for Creating Trauma-informed Services for Mothers and Children Experiencing Homelessness
Native American Motivational Interviewing: Weaving Native American and Western Practices
Seeking Safety
Trauma-informed Approaches in Addictions Treatment
Trauma-informed Practice Guide
Tip 57: Trauma-informed Care in Behavioral Health Sciences
Trauma, Child Development, Healing and Resilience
Trauma Matters
The Trauma Informed Practice Guide
The Trauma Toolkit
Trauma Recovery
Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Model (TREM)
You are not alone: Violence, Substance Use and Mental Health – A peer approach to increasing your safety