Current Projects
Developing and Evaluating an Outpatient Young Adult Substance Use Program (YA-SUP)
With the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, I am the research and programs development lead for a novel outpatient program for emerging adults. The program is both evidence-based and evidence-generating. This work is actively co-designed, co-facilitated, and co-interpreted alongside young adults with lived expertise.
Developing and Evaluating an Outpatient Young Adult Substance Use Program (YA-SUP)
With the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, I am the research and programs development lead for a novel outpatient program for emerging adults. The program is both evidence-based and evidence-generating. This work is actively co-designed, co-facilitated, and co-interpreted alongside young adults with lived expertise.
Developing and Evaluating Prevention and Early Interventions for Youth Substance Use
I strive to identify and implement effective interventions for youth substance use, particularly among those with current mental health concerns. Thus far, I have: (1) helped develop, deliver, and evaluate a brief motivational intervention for post-secondary substance use (called Pause), (2) led a systematic review and meta-analysis on brief interventions for cannabis use among emerging adults; (3) co-developed a Cannabis Practice Guide for School Mental Health Professionals; and (4) evaluated national school-based prevention interventions. This is a central focus of my current work, where I aim to design, evaluate, and scale effective secondary prevention initiatives.
Exploring Historical Trends in Co-occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Concerns
Mental health concerns have been dramatically increasing in the general population in recent years, while substance use has been generally decreasing, plateauing, or only slightly increasing. This program of work seeks to explore how the co-occurrence (or joint-trends) of substance use and mental health concerns have been changing over time. I continue to explore these trends in Canadian, American, and Australian samples.
Exploring Historical Trends in Co-occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Concerns
Mental health concerns have been dramatically increasing in the general population in recent years, while substance use has been generally decreasing, plateauing, or only slightly increasing. This program of work seeks to explore how the co-occurrence (or joint-trends) of substance use and mental health concerns have been changing over time. I continue to explore these trends in Canadian, American, and Australian samples.
Characterizing Patterns of Co-occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Problems in the General Population
This work seeks to understand patterns of multiple substance use and co-occurring mental health concerns among youth, including: (1) systematically reviewing existing literature on patterns of multiple substance use among adolescents, (2) identifying patterns and correlates of substance use and mental health concerns in school and general population samples, and (3) examining developmental trajectories of co-occurrence.
Exploring Substance Use Among Adolescents Attending Inpatient Mental Health Treatment to Guide Care Pathways
The Cannabis, Alcohol, Mental Health and Patterns (CAMP) of Service Use project seeks to examine the prevalence and correlates of substance use among youth admitted to the hospital for mental health concerns. The pilot study, focused on feasibility and acceptability of standardized assessments, was funded by a Hamilton Health Sciences New Investigator Fund. Related work has focused on further identifying patterns of co-occurring multiple substance use and mental disorder symptoms, and clinical correlates to guide care pathways.
Exploring Substance Use Among Adolescents Attending Inpatient Mental Health Treatment to Guide Care Pathways
The Cannabis, Alcohol, Mental Health and Patterns (CAMP) of Service Use project seeks to examine the prevalence and correlates of substance use among youth admitted to the hospital for mental health concerns. The pilot study, focused on feasibility and acceptability of standardized assessments, was funded by a Hamilton Health Sciences New Investigator Fund. Related work has focused on further identifying patterns of co-occurring multiple substance use and mental disorder symptoms, and clinical correlates to guide care pathways.
Professor Hippo-on-Campus: Student Mental Health Education Program for Educators and Navigators
Professor Hippo-on-Campus is an online mental health education program for University staff, faculty, and graduate students consisting of modules and workshops covering topics such as: creating mental health-positive learning environments, communicating with stressed and distressed learners, and recognizing and responding to students in distress and difficulty.