title: Research Priorities in Mental Health, Justice, and Safety: A Multidisciplinary Stakeholder Report.
abstract: This paper is based on the report following the National Research Agenda Meeting on Mental Health, Justice, and Safety held in Montreal on November 19, 2014, which convened academics; health, social, and legal professionals; and people with lived experience of mental illness from across Canada. The goal was to identify research priorities addressing relevant knowledge gaps and research strategies that can translate into public policy action and improvements in evidence-based services. Participants identified key challenges: (1) inadequate identification and response to needs by civil mental health services and frontline law enforcement, (2) limited specialized resources in forensic and correctional settings, (3) fragmented care and gaps between systems, (4) limited resources for adequate community reintegration, and (5) poor knowledge transfer strategies as obstacles to evidence-based policies. Knowledge gaps were identified in epidemiology and risk reduction, frontline training and programs, forensic and correctional practices, organizations and institutions, knowledge transfer, and rehabilitation. Finally, participants identified potential sources of support to conduct real time research with regard to data collection and sharing. The findings represent a roadmap for how forensic mental health systems can best proceed to address current challenges through research and practice initiatives, drawing from lived, clinical and research experiences of a multidisciplinary group of experts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University and Douglas Mental Health University Institute Research Center , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
authors.forename: Anne G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Crocker
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia and BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services , Coquitlam , British Columbia , Canada.
authors.forename: Tonia L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.affiliation: Royal Ottawa Health Care Group , Brockville , Ontario , Canada.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Seto
authors.affiliation: School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute Research Center , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute Research Center , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
authors.forename: Marichelle C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Leclair
authors.affiliation: Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission, BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services , Coquitlam , British Columbia , Canada.
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brink
authors.affiliation: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Complex Mental Illness, Forensic Division, Toronto, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto , Quebec , Canada.
authors.forename: Alexander I F
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières Québec, Canada; Philippe-Pinel Institute, Research Center , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Côté
keywords: corrections; forensic mental health; knowledge transfer; research priorities; risk