Research Challenge

Participants form research teams and we support them to conduct a small-scale research study over a 15 to 18-month period. The support includes educational workshops, mentorship, and up to $5,000 that teams can use to cover costs associated with their research project. This includes protected time/backfill to get the work done.

Participate in the Research Challenge

Research teams include BCMHSUS staff members; lived experience partners; and experienced research mentors. By taking part, you can develop your knowledge of research and promote evidence-informed practice.

Join the Research Challenge if you:

• have a practice-related question, but limited experience in research
• are interested in patient-oriented research, but would like some guidance
• are enthusiastic about using evidence to improve clinical practice, but not sure where to start
• want to address a knowledge or practice gap and learn more about the research process

Direct care staff often apply research results to their practice, without having the capacity, time or resources to engage in research themselves. However, they have unique understanding and experience of their program, clients and patients. With the help of patient partners, they can do meaningful, relevant research to improve clinical practice.

Other health authorities in BC have implemented a Research Challenge. Their evaluations show that it had positive clinical and professional impacts. For example, the challenge brought about improved procedures for staff, and improved quality of life for patients and their families (Black et al., 2019). Participants became more interested in future research initiatives, publishing research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and promoting evidence-based practice.
 

Lived experience partnership and engagement

Each research team must include at least one lived experience (patient or family) partner. Engaging patients, their families and caregivers as partners throughout the research process results in research findings that:

• are accessible
• are relevant to the target patient population
• have potential to inform care and practice improvements

Patient & family partners are people with lived/living experience of mental health and substance use challenges, forensic services, and/or incarceration. They are not “study subjects”. They play a direct role in the research process, from planning the research question to presenting findings. We conduct research using a patient-oriented approach: ‘with’ or ‘by’ patients rather than ‘for’ them.

If we do not include people with lived/living experience, we can intensify stigma and fail to address the key issues.

Questions? Email: bcmhsus_research@phsa.ca.
 

Eligibility

The Research Challenge is open to all BCMHSUS direct care staff who do not normally conduct research for their job. If you have research experience, please participate as a research mentor. 

Research teams

• Minimum of five members
• A team leader: must be a direct care BCMHSUS staff member (non-physician), in a regular/permanent position, who has been employed for more than one year, and who does not normally conduct research
• At least two other staff team members: can be any BCMHSUS staff in a part-time or full-time permanent position who do not normally conduct research
• A research mentor (see below)
• At least one patient partner (see below)

Research mentors

Any BCMHSUS staff member who regularly conducts research (e.g. researchers, trainees, physicians, psychologists, etc.) or any researcher connected to BCMHSUS through research in other programs (i.e. UBC, SFU, BC Cancer, VCH, WHRI, etc.).

The research mentor offers advice and guidance but does not complete research work. See Mentorship & the Role of the Mentor (PDF) for more information.

Patient partners

Patient partners can be current or former patients, family members, or other people with lived and living experience of mental health and substance use. They represent the people that the research project serves. They may participate in any or all parts of the research process.
 

How to apply and what to expect

1. Eligible staff form a research team of five or more and submit a Notice of Intent (application) to bcmhsus_research@phsa.ca
2. Reviewers evaluate the Notice of Intent on criteria, including:
   1. project idea or research question
   2. alignment with BCMHSUS priorities
   3. innovation
   4. potential for positive impacts on policy, practice, and clients/patients
3. Find a lived experience partner and a research mentor. We can help match you if needed. You can choose to have one mentor or different mentors for different phases of the Research Challenge
4. Conduct a literature review
5. Develop and submit a full proposal including budget

If the proposal is successful:

1. Conduct the research project (approx. 15-18 months)
2. Complete periodic evaluation surveys
3. Provide regular progress updates
4. Submit a final report
5. Present at a BCMHSUS knowledge exchange event to celebrate completing the Challenge