June 13, 2014 – Montreal, Quebec – Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and Mr. J. Anthony Boeckh, Chair of the Graham Boeckh Foundation, today announced the launch of ACCESS Canada, a research network developed by TRAM – Transformational Research in Adolescent Mental Health – a partnership of CIHR and GBF.

ACCESS Canada’s goal is to use research evidence to bring about positive change, within five years, to the way we care for young people with mental illness.

In Canada, one-in-five people experience a mental illness in their lifetime. However, it is young Canadians that suffer the most, with 75% of mental health problems and illnesses beginning prior to the age of 25, and more than 50% beginning between the ages of 11 and 25. Unfortunately, adolescents and youth have the least access to mental health care, as existing services are designed mostly for younger children and older adults.

ACCESS Canada will seek to fix this gap in health care. It will develop strategies to ensure that more young people are connected to the mental health services they need. It will move research evidence to the point of care, to ensure that young people receive the best possible treatments available. Ultimately, ACCESS Canada will improve health outcomes for adolescents and youth by transforming the way mental health care is provided in Canada.

Quick Facts 

• The ACCESS Canada research network developed by TRAM is the first-ever network launched under Canada’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR).
• SPOR is a coalition of federal, provincial and territorial partners – patients, researchers, industry, health care providers, and decision-makers – all dedicated to the integration of research into care.
• SPOR is about ensuring that the right patient receives the right treatment at the right time.
• The Graham Boeckh Foundation is committed to improving mental health care in Canada by strategically leading and funding projects in basic research, research translation and community outreach.
• Through CIHR, the Government of Canada is supporting TRAM with $12.5 million, over five years. The Graham Boeckh Foundation is providing matching funding of $12.5 million, for a total investment of $25 million.
• The Government of Canada is the largest single investor in health research in Canada. Currently, CIHR is supporting more than 13,200 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

Quotes 

“The Government of Canada is committed to supporting Canadians with mental illness. The Network we are launching today will assist the provinces and territories by bringing research innovations to the front lines of health care, where they can improve health outcomes for adolescents and youth. Creating innovation through research is important for our Government, and I applaud the researchers, patients, families, and other stakeholders involved in this important initiative.”

Rona Ambrose,
Minister of Health

“The ACCESS Canada Network is about transformative research – ensuring that research evidence informs health care practice and policy. This inaugural SPOR Network also marks a new way of doing business. It involves putting patients and their families first. The Graham Boeckh Foundation has proven an invaluable partner in this enterprise, both in shaping the research agenda and contributing resources to maximize the impact of our research investments.”

Dr. Alain Beaudet President,
Canadian Institutes of Health Research