Program Name Operating Grant : Knowledge Synthesis: COVID-19 in Mental Health and Substance Use (Knowledge Synthesis Grant: COVID-19 Rapid Research Funding Opportunity in Mental Health and Substance Use)
Program Launch Date: April 29, 2020
Application Deadline: May 7, 2020
Anticipated Notice of Decision: May 22, 2020
Funding Start Date: May 1, 2020
The pressure the global pandemic of COVID-19 has put on the healthcare and public health systems in Canada and globally is unprecedented. The need for effective treatment and infection control measures is clear, but as the situation develops, we also need to be proactive in identifying and supporting adaptation and growth of the current infrastructure for mental health and substance use, including psychosocial supports, adapt evidence-based services (e.g., virtual care) and related surveillance activities.
This funding opportunity is part of Government of Canada’s continued rapid response to address the public health challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding will be provided through multiple competitions designed to address COVID-19 mental health and substance use responses. This funding opportunity will enable the development of rapid and timely knowledge syntheses and related knowledge mobilization plans to address evidence gaps and build the evidence base as part of the mental health and substance use response to COVID-19. This could include, for example, examination of the impact on at-risk populations, relevant evidence focused on services, delivery and development of guidelines, and evidence related to effectiveness of services or implementation of interventions.
Rapid Knowledge Synthesis is meant to accelerate all phases of knowledge synthesis production (application, review, and research and knowledge translation) – to offer timely, accessible and relevant evidence to decision makers at municipal, provincial/territorial, and federal levels in a rapid timeframe. Knowledge syntheses can draw on a wide range of evidence, including from other public health emergency or disaster response contexts, to be assessed for transferability and/or applicability to COVID-19. Knowledge syntheses in this funding opportunity may synthesize results from qualitative research, quantitative research or draw on mixed methods.
Knowledge mobilization plans should describe considerations for the application of this knowledge under current contexts (e.g., ensuring alignment with the potential needs and priorities of decision makers and other knowledge users). These should be developed using plain language and in a format that is accessible to the target audience.
Funding to support implementation science and population-level intervention research to address the impacts of COVID-19 and containment measures on mental health and substance use will be funded through a second funding opportunity. This subsequent funding opportunity is expected to be launched within the next month.
Knowledge syntheses from this funding opportunity will be made available to successful investigators in the subsequent implementation science funding opportunity.
Research areas
The Government of Canada will provide funding to support rapid knowledge synthesis and knowledge related mobilization of current evidence on the needs of mental health and substance use services, delivery, and related guidelines, in the COVID-19 context.
Eligible topic areas include (but are not limited to):
- Knowledge translation approaches, practices and platforms applied to inform both population-level and targeted mental health and substance use responses during the pandemic. This includes resilience and wellness responses/approaches;
- Population-based interventions to reduce potential mental health and substance use impacts of COVID-19 caused by factors including but not limited to: prolonged periods of social isolation, unexpected employment disruptions, school closures, financial distress, and changes to routine;
- Targeted interventions to address the mental health and substance use issues and needs of high-risk groups;
- Innovative surveillance and monitoring in both the general Canadian population and amongst high-risk groups to assess mental health and substance use needs and system transformations (including the use of learning health systems, other modes of service delivery (e.g., virtual care), alternate remuneration models, etc.).
Proposals are encouraged to consider priority populations that may face unique contexts such as (but not limited to):
- Healthcare delivery personnel and front-line workers engaged in directly responding to COVID-19
- Essential services personnel, including those dealing directly with the public (e.g. grocery store clerks)
- Individuals at risk of domestic or intimate partner violence (in particular women and children)
- Individuals who use substances
- Individuals with ongoing chronic mental health issues or cognitive impairment
- Individuals with chronic health conditions (e.g. cancer, HIV, hepatitis, chronic pain)
- Individuals who are homeless or under housed
- Individuals within the prison system
- First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities
- Families, children and youth
- Aging populations, including older adults, in assisted living and long-term care facilities and their caregivers
- Individuals experiencing acute mental health concerns associated with COVID- 19 (e.g. due to prolonged periods of social isolation, extended state of emergency, unexpected unemployment), and individuals experiencing complicated grief
- Individuals with disabilities
- Individuals who have less developed social support structures and lower economic stability, including immigrants, refugees, and newcomers to Canada
It is expected that knowledge synthesis will:
- Critically assess the state of knowledge related to mental health and substance use from a variety of sources;
- Identify knowledge strengths and gaps, including applicability and/or transferability to the current pandemic context; and
- Use effective knowledge mobilization methods to facilitate the sharing of research findings with multisectoral stakeholders.
For research projects involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples: Appropriate consideration of TCPS 2: Chapter 9 – Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada, and demonstration of meaningful and culturally safe practices, plans and activities throughout the research project must be demonstrated.
Sex and gender differences exist in the research areas above, making sex and/or gender issues an important component of this research initiative. CIHR will require applicants to consider sex as a biological variable and gender as a socio-cultural factor in their research.
Funds Available
The Government of Canada’s financial contributions for this initiative are subject to availability of funds. Should the Government of Canada funding levels not be available or are decreased due to unforeseen circumstances, the Government of Canada reserves the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.
- $2,000,000 is available enough to fund up to forty (40) grants. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate.
- The maximum amount per grant is up to $50,000 over six (6) months.
Please note that the source of funds for this competition will not be from the cancellation of the Spring 2020 Project Grant competition, but are a part of the strategic whole of Government of Canada efforts on COVID-19.
Partnership approaches, either in-kind or financial, to increase the budget available to projects and/or maximize the impact and reach are encouraged.
, including objectives, eligibility guidelines, and how to apply.