Table of Contents
Description
Part of the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction mandate is to promote research that addresses illicit drug use. The Costs of Substance Abuse in Canada 2002 study estimated the social costs of all illicit drug use, including cannabis, cocaine, opioids such as heroin and other injection drugs. Although fewer Canadians die from illicit drug use than from alcohol or tobacco use, the deaths tend to involve younger people and so the impact is significant in terms of years of life lost.
In 2002, an estimated total of 1,695 Canadians died as a result of illicit drug use, accounting for 0.2% of all deaths. The leading causes of death linked to illicit drug use were overdose (958), drug-attributable suicide (295), drug-attributable hepatitis C infection (165), and HIV infection (87). Deaths linked to illicit drugs use resulted in 62,128 potential years-of-life lost. Illicit drug-related illness accounted for 352,121 days of acute care in hospital.
Costs linked to illicit drugs were estimated to be approximately $8.2 billion. This represented 20.7% of the total costs of substance abuse (i.e. including tobacco and alcohol). The largest category of economic costs related to illicit drug use were $4.7 billion for lost productivity due to illness and premature death, $2.3 billion for law enforcement costs, and more than $1.1 billion in direct health care costs.
Although there is a lot of concern about the abuse of methamphetamine (Crystal Meth) in Canada, reliable data are scarce and limited. More research is needed to determine the extent of its use and to plan successful prevention programs and treatment strategies as well as effective policies responding to methamphetamine issues.
The National Anti-Drug strategy announced by the federal government on October 4, 2007, includes three action plans: preventing illicit drug use, treating those with illicit drug dependencies and combating the production and distribution of illicit drugs. Within the framework of the Treatment Action Plan, CIHR received funds targeted specifically on drug treatment models and approaches. This grant program is known as the Addiction Treatment Research Program. This new research program targets areas in which optimum addiction treatment approaches have not yet been developed, implemented or evaluated. The current strategic initiative will support research focussing specifically on the development, improvement and evaluation of addiction treatments for Canadians with illicit drug dependencies.
On November 8 and 9, 2007, the CIHR-Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction held a Consultation Workshop on "Research Priorities for Substance Abuse and Concurrent Disorders" in Ottawa towards identifying research priorities related to addiction treatment for illicit drug use. The workshop was attended by researchers and clinicians as well as representatives for governmental and non-governmental organizations, consumer groups and the pharmaceutical industry.
The purpose of this Funding opportunity is to further strengthen state-of-the-science prevention and treatment of illicit drug by supporting crosscutting collaborative research. It is expected that this targeted investment will lead to prevention of dependencies and better treatment for Canadians with illicit drug dependencies.
Background
The CIHR Catalyst Grant program provides seed money, on a short-term basis, to support health research activities which represent a first step towards the pursuit of more comprehensive funding opportunities (e.g. operating grants, team grants), such as:
- the planning and execution of pilot projects or feasibility studies aiming to generate preliminary data, observations, or knowledge;
- the planning and execution of novel projects which clearly demonstrate the potential for significant impact, but which are considered high risk in nature in that they may be unsupported by proof of concept / preliminary data;
- development and / or validation of new inventions, tools, methodologies, protocols, theoretical models or frameworks;
- planning and / or development activities of expert teams (multi-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary, etc…) coming together to address health research priorities.
Funds Available
CIHR's contribution to the amount available for this initiative is subject to availability of funds voted annually to CIHR by parliamentary appropriations, and the conditions that may be attached to them.
- The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $300,000. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate.
- The maximum amount awarded for a single grant is $100,000 per annum for up to 1 year. The equipment amount, where applicable, is awarded in year one.
Partner/Collaborator Participation
CIHR is dedicated to identifying and developing collaborations with other funding organizations and stakeholders to enhance the availability of funding for this strategic initiative, and to create, where appropriate, opportunities for knowledge exchange and translation related to the scope of this particular initiative. Applicants are invited to visit the Partner/Collaborator Description section to find a list of partners/collaborators and their respective mandates and/or strategic interests. This list will continue to evolve as new partners/collaborators join in this initiative. The specific research foci and requirements for each partner/collaborator are outlined in the "Objectives" section.
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Objectives
The primary objectives of the Catalyst Grant program are to:
- Generate preliminary observations, data or knowledge, or to facilitate team formation, as a first step towards the pursuit of more comprehensive funding opportunities (e.g., operating grants, team grants) by researchers or teams of researchers.
- Support original, high quality projects which have the potential to generate high impact results and/or innovative research proposals, research tools, techniques, devices, inventions, or methodologies.
The Catalyst Grant program is further expected to contribute to:
- Providing new or established investigators with funding to pursue new areas of investigation.
- Providing investigators the opportunity to pursue high risk health research questions with the potential for high impact.
- Providing the opportunity for a unique combination (e.g. multi-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary, international) of individual researchers to develop as a team.
- Development of a culture of invention and innovation in Canada.
- Mobilization of research communities to develop research agendas and/or action plans to advance research in specific priority areas.
Within the framework of the overall objectives of the CIHR Catalyst Grant Program, the specific objectives of this funding opportunity are:
- To address scientific questions/problems related to the Treatment Action Plan of the New Anti-Drug Strategy.
- To improve the effectiveness of illicit drug use treatments and prevention strategies for highly vulnerable populations, such as youth and First Nations, Métis and Inuit.
- To inform policy and program development in the area of illicit drug use prevention and treatment.
- To develop best practice guidelines for illicit drug use prevention and treatment.
- To address knowledge translation questions/problems related to prevention and treatment of illicit drug use.
Relevant Research Areas:
- Understanding factors that encourage illicit drug users to accept and engage in treatment.
- Treatment modalities related to problematic cannabis use.
- Substitution therapies and promising interventions that target specific forms of illicit drug use (e.g., stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine ["crystal meth"]).
- Analysis of the association between the need and the availability of services for drug treatment and the match to best practices.
- Treatment of cannabis use combined with psychotropic pharmaceuticals.
Specific Research Foci and Requirements:
- The substances covered by this initiative are illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and methamphetamine (crystal meth). Other psychoactive substances such as alcohol, psychotropic pharmaceuticals (over-the-counter and prescription), solvents and inhalants can be studied only if they are used in combination with an illicit drug.
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Eligibility
Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding programs apply. The business office of the institution of an eligible Nominated Principal Applicant generally administers CIHR funds. Please refer to the Eligibility Requirements for CIHR Grants and Awards regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.
Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) will not be considered under this funding opportunity.
Specific Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility requirements specific to this funding opportunity include the following:
- The substances covered by this initiative are illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and methamphetamine (crystal meth). Other psychoactive substances such as alcohol, psychotropic pharmaceuticals (over-the-counter and prescription), solvents and inhalants can be studied only if they are used in combination with an illicit drug.
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Guidelines
General CIHR Guidelines
This funding opportunity will follow the General Guidelines for Grant Programs. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the use of Gender and Sex-Based Analysis in applications.
Allowable Costs
Applicants should review the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Financial Administration Guide for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.
The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.
Conditions of Funding
All conditions specified in CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies shall apply to applications funded through this Funding opportunity. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official languages policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial requirements prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document.
In addition to CIHR standard guidelines and requirements, the following special requirements shall apply:
- Within six months after the end of the grant's term, the Nominated Principal Applicant is required to submit a final performance report, summarizing the results and describing how the grant funds were used.
- Each successful team will be expected to be represented at a meeting of funded researchers, stakeholders and decision makers to review progress on funded projects and research outcomes in 2011.
Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
All personal information collected by CIHR about applicants is used to review applications, to recruit reviewers, to administer and monitor grants and awards, to compile statistics, and to promote and support health research in Canada. Consistent with these purposes, applicants should also expect that information collected by CIHR may be shared as described in Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR for Peer Review.
CIHR as a federal entity is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, therefore the requirements of these two statutes will apply to all information located in CIHR's premises including, without limitation, cost-sharing agreements related to this Funding opportunity and all matters pertaining thereto.
While respecting the application of the Privacy Act to federal entities, all signing parties involved in a collaborative agreement will also be bound by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). All personal information (as identified by the PIPEDA) collected, used or disclosed in the course of any commercial activity under collaborative agreements related to the Funding opportunity will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.
CIHR Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People
The CIHR Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People came into effect as policy for CIHR-funded research on July 1, 2008. Applicants whose proposed research will involve Aboriginal People are strongly encouraged to familiarise themselves with these guidelines and in particular with the section "Application of the Guidelines," which outlines the situations in which these guidelines apply.
Policy on Access to Research Outputs
CIHR believes that greater access to research publications and data will promote the ability of researchers and knowledge users in Canada and abroad to use and build on the knowledge needed to address significant health challenges. Open access will promote accessibility to CIHR-funded research and will serve to increase the international visibility of Canadian research. As of January 1, 2008, CIHR grant recipients are reminded to adhere with the responsibilities outlined in the Policy on Access to Research Outputs. Under this policy, grant recipients must make every effort to ensure that research papers and bio-molecular data generated from CIHR funding are freely accessible online.
Communication Requirements
Grant recipients are required to acknowledge CIHR, its institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to the project. See CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies, Public Communication and Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support for details on CIHR's communication requirements. The contributing institutes/partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding and decision letter.
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Performance Measurement
CIHR is committed to demonstrating results to Canadians for the money invested in health research. Therefore, processes for monitoring progress and appropriate use of funds, as well as for performance measurement and program evaluation are in place. As a result, funding recipients must:
- contribute to the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes by participating in evaluation studies, surveys, workshops, audits and providing data or reports as required for the purpose of collecting information to assess progress and results;
- encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes as required.
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Review Process and Evaluation
Relevance Review
The CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction will provide funding for applications that are relevant to (in alignment with) the objectives and research priority areas described in the Objectives section.
Prior to peer review, the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction will have access to anonymized project titles and summaries to conduct relevance review.
The following criteria will be used in conducting the relevance review:
- Alignment of the proposed program with the objectives and relevant research areas for this Catalyst Grant Program as described under Objectives above
Upon completion of peer review, the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction will receive the ranking list, merit scores (ratings) and recommendations on funding level and award term for the applications that fall in the fundable range and have been determined to be relevant to the specific research areas and objectives of the initiative. The list will be used for funding decision-making purposes and will remain anonymous.
Peer Review
A CIHR peer review committee will evaluate the full applications. The committee may be drawn from one of CIHR's pre-existing committees or may be created specifically for this funding opportunity. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the institute(s) / portfolio(s) and partner(s), following CIHR's Policy on Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality in the context of Merit, Relevance and Peer Review (CCIP). For information on CIHR's peer review process in general, see the Understand Peer Review section of CIHR's website.
Evaluation Criteria
Peer review will be conducted in accordance with the CIHR Peer Review Process – Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members. Reviewers will use the following set of criteria for the evaluation of all CIHR grant applications:
- Research Approach
- Originality of the Proposal
- Applicant(s)
- Environment for the Research
- Impact of the Research
A detailed elaboration of these criteria can be found in the Information for Peer Reviewers section of CIHR website.
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How to Apply
Note: This funding opportunity requires the use of ResearchNet to apply for funding.
- The application process for this funding opportunity is comprised of two steps: Registration and Application.
- To complete your Registration and Application, follow the instructions identified in the Catalyst Grants - ResearchNet "Registration" Phase Instructions and the Catalyst Grants - ResearchNet "Application" Phase Instructions.
- An overview of CIHR's application processes can be found under Apply for Funding.
- Reminder to applicants: Please ensure that your application is complete (including all required signatures) and submitted on time to CIHR. Effective September 1, 2008, CIHR will assume no responsibility in following-up with applicants who submit an incomplete application. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted into the competition.
Additional instructions that must be followed for this funding opportunity:
(Note: These additional instructions supersede all other policies or guidelines published by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, including, but not limited to, the Grants and Awards Guide, the Memorandum of Understanding, etc.)
Your Application will be submitted using ResearchNet. Only the signed Signature Pages must be sent (courier stamped no later than the application deadline date) to:
RE: "Catalyst Grant : Prevention and Treatment of Illicit Drug Use"
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
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Contact Information
For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:
Kelly Fitzpatrick
Team Lead
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-941-4640
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: kelly.fitzpatrick@cihr-irsc.g.ca
For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:
Melissa Phypers
Assistant Director
Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-948-8392
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: melissa.phypers@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
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Partner/Collaborator Description
Note: Additional partners/collaborators, including partners/collaborators from industry and the private sector are expected to join this funding initiative over the coming year.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
CIHR is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health-care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to nearly 12,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada.
CIHR – Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA)
The vision of the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA) is that innovative research will provide new knowledge of the biological and socio-cultural processes underlying neurological, mental and addictive disorders. As such, the INMHA's mission is to foster excellence in innovative, ethically responsible research in Canada that aims to increase our knowledge of the functioning and disorders of the brain and the mind, the spinal cord, the sensory and motor systems, as well as mental health, mental illness and all forms of addiction. The INMHA intends to support initiatives that mobilize and link scientists in innovative collaborative programs across these research domains. The INMHA seeks to translate this new knowledge into a better quality of life for all Canadians through improved outcomes, health promotion and health care services.
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