Contributing to the excellence of mental health and addictions research in British Columbia

Up-to-Date II: Substance Use Trends and Policy Responses in BC

Co-Sponsored by BCMHARN and CARBC

December 11, 2009
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
UBC Robson Square
Vancouver, BC

This symposium, co-sponsored by BCMHARN and CARBC, provided policy makers, service providers, researchers and the general public with the latest information on substance use trends and policy responses in BC.

To view the program, click here.

Speaker Presentation Videos - Available Online

Speaker presentation videos and PDFs of PowerPoint presentations are now available online.

Genetics, Drugs, and Cognitive Control: Individual Differences Underlying Substance Dependence

January 25, 2010
University of Victoria
Victoria, BC

Co-sponsored by the BC Mental Health and Addictions Research Network and CARBC, this lecture will present the findings of a study which tested the hypothesis that drug dependence results from the impact of disrupted dopamine signals on frontal brain areas involved in cognitive control.

For more information please click here.

Community-Based Research in Rural and Remote Communities

Both events will be available live online via WebEx!

Co-Sponsored by the Network’s Community Based Research Hub and the BC Rural and Remote Health Research Network, this event is available at two locations on two dates. The purpose is to increase interaction between experienced community-based researchers who focus on rural and remote health and junior researchers interested in community based research (CBR) methods. For more information please click here.

Assessing, Triaging and Managing Youth who Self-Injure: A Workshop for Mental Health Clinicians

January 22, 2010
University of Victoria
Victoria, BC

Self-injury is a serious clinical health problem that can be difficult to understand. This workshop, led by self-injury expert and co-editor of the book Self-Injury in Youth: The Essential Guide to Assessment and Intervention Dr. Mary Kay Nixon, will help mental clinicians understand the experience and motivation of youth who self-injure, introduce the latest research on self-injury in youth, and provide practical strategies for working with youth struggling with self-injury.

For more information and how to register for this event, please click here.

Recent News

January 4, 2010

Now online: NetNews Vol. 5, Issue 1 (January 2010). Highlights include network news, national news, funding & training opportunities, featured resources and upcoming events.

December 9, 2009 | Media Release

HST and Booze: UVic report calls on BC to use HST as an opportunity to reduce spiralling alcohol-related deaths

A new report commissioned by the Network's Alcohol and Other Drug Monitoring Hub suggests that BC's introduction of the harmonized sales tax (HST) provides a golden opportunity to reverse recent increases in alcohol-related deaths and hospitalizations. To read the full Media Release, click here. To view statistics on alcohol-related harms in BC, click here. To view the full policy brief, entitled "Alcohol Pricing, Public Health and the HST: Proposed Incentives for BC Drinkers to Make Healthy Choices", click here.

December 8, 2009 | Media Release

More drinking, more drugs, more harm: BC Research Reveals Alcohol and Substance Use Trends

BC residents are drinking more these days - in fact, BC's per capita alcohol consumption is rising at a faster rate than in the rest of Canada. There is also evidence of increasing use and availability of crack cocaine, ecstasy and prescription medications in BC. On the flip side, fewer British Columbians appear to be using marijuana and methamphetamine (crystal meth) while adolescents are drinking and smoking less. These are just some of the findings coming out of the Network's Alcohol and Other Drug Monitoring Hub located at the University of Victoria's Centre for Addictions Research (CARBC). To read the full Media Release, click here.