On September 25, 2007, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) and the University of Saskatchewan formalized an opportunity to enhance their respective roles and effectiveness with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement that brings together the unique strengths of each organization. This agreement will provide a bridge between academic excellence and the addictions field.

Context

It is widely recognized that substance abuse and addictions have a negative impact on the social, health and economic well-being of Canadians and that effective partnerships between educational institutions and non-governmental organizations can promote the development of leading-edge research, policies and programs that reduce the harm associated with alcohol and other drugs.

The University of Saskatchewan and CCSA have identified an opportunity to enhance their respective roles and effectiveness through a cooperative arrangement that brings together the unique strengths of each organization. The Government of Saskatchewan has established a Research Chair in Substance Abuse at the University as part of its provincial action plan for substance abuse. The Research Chair will help increase what is known about substance abuse issues and how best to treat them. This agreement between CCSA and the University of Saskatchewan will provide a bridge between academic excellence and the field of addictions.

Highlights of Activities to Date

• A song documenting the healing experiences of Aboriginal women who have struggled with drug abuse and addiction has been written as part of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research-funded addictions research project being conducted by Colleen Dell of the University of Saskatchewan in partnership with CCSA and the National Addictions Partnership Foundation—Aboriginal Women Drug Users in Conflict with the Law: A Study of the Role of Self-Identity in the Healing Journey.
  The song, entitled “From Stilettos to Moccasins”, is sung by Violet Naytowhow and was written in collaboration with Aboriginal women who are healing from illicit drug abuse and problems with the law. According to Dell, “The song will be used as a teaching tool with both treatment centres and the general public.”
  To listen to the song and view the music video online, visit: http://www.addictionresearchchair.com/creating-knowledge/national/cihr-research-project/.
  To listen to a CBC interview, visit http://www.cbc.ca/morningedition/2009/05/from_stilletos_to_moccasins.html.
• News Release:  
  A partnership among the University of Saskatchewan (U of S), the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), and the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation (NNAPF) is working to increase substance abuse research capacity, strengthen training of addiction workers, and increase effective use of research resources in substance abuse prevention and treatment in a unique way—through song. (February 18, 2009.)
  In collaboration with CCSA, the University of Calgary, the University of Regina and additional community partners, a funding proposal was submitted to the Alberta Centre for Child, Family & Community Research to examine the role of equine-assisted learning in the treatment of volatile solvent abuse among indigenous youth.
• The second lecture in the CCSA Bill Deeks Lecture Series is taking place in September 2010 at the University of Saskatchewan. The lecture focuses on the subject of youth and substance abuse.
• BCCEWH, CCSA, the University of Saskatchewan and the University of South Australia are working to increase the understanding of sex, gender and diversity differences in substance use and addictions by offering a Virtual Community of Practice for The National Framework for Action to Reduce the Harms Associated with Alcohol and Other Drugs and Substances in Canada. The possibility of offering a second community is being explored. A document entitled Applying a Sex/Gender/Diversity-based Analysis Within the National Framework for Action to Reduce the Harms Associated With Alcohol and Other Drugs and Substances in Canada was created as part of this work.  (link to: http://www.nationalframework-cadrenational.ca/images/uploads/file/sex-diversity-paper-bil.pdf)
• CCSA and the University of Saskatchewan, in collaboration with national and international partners, were awarded a Development Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada International Opportunities Fund. The objective is to bring together expertise from Canada, the United States, Australia and Mexico to develop an international research program specific to the treatment of and healing from VSA for indigenous youth, and to share the success of the Canadian experience. One outcome of this grant is information sharing video sessions from each of the participating countries in the topic area. These sessions are available at: http://www.addictionresearchchair.com/creating-knowledge/international/. A second outcome is the securing of a Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant: Aboriginal Peoples' Health from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in collaboration with additional national and international partners, with the goal of focusing on stigma and discrimination.
• The University of Saskatchewan is a member of the CCSA-led National Advisory Group on Youth Prevention, a component of Canada’s National Anti-Drug Strategy.
• The University of Saskatchewan is the lead in a Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant awarded in collaboration with CCSA and the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation, entitled Aboriginal Women Drug Users in Conflict with the Law: A Study of the Role of Self-Identity in the Healing Journey. In 2008 additional funding was received from the Indigenous Peoples Health Research Centre, University of Saskatchewan, to involve community members with lived experience in analysis of the project data. The first finding focused on helpful traits and characteristics of staff in residential treatment and is available in the form of a fact sheet at: http://www.addictionresearchchair.com/wp-content/uploads/Staff-Turtle-Findings-FINAL-Feb-3-20091.pdf. Funding was also awarded in 2009 from the National Network on Aboriginal Mental Health Research to design and evaluate knowledge dissemination tools from the project, including a residential and community discussion guide regarding the role of identity and stigma in Aboriginal women’s healing.
• Findings from the project Aboriginal Women Drug Users in Conflict with the Law: A Study of the Role of Self-Identity in the Healing Journey were presented at CCSA’s 2009 Issues of Substance Conference.  Focusing on individuals’ pathways to change, this session highlighted: the voices of research team members with lived experience on how their healing narratives guided the study; the voices of interviewed treatment providers regarding gender-specific skills and traits to assist women in their healing journeys; and the voices of women in treatment interviewed, detailing the role of cultural identify in their change process.
• The University of Saskatchewan and CCSA jointly presented to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Community Epidemiology Working Group, on drug surveillance in Canada in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
• The University of Saskatchewan, CCSA and other partners organized a National Networking Session on Women's Treatment, Harm Reduction and Prevention in conjunction with CCSA's Issues of Substance conference in November 2007.
• In 2007, the University of Saskatchewan participated in CCSA’s Educational and Training Experts consultation in Toronto on Core Competencies for the Substance Abuse Field.
• A faculty member of the Sociology Department and School of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan is a Research Associate with CCSA.
• The University of Saskatchewan provided media expertise to CCSA in the area of youth volatile solvent abuse.
• CCSA provided media and library support to the Research Chair in Substance Abuse, University of Saskatchewan.

This agreement expires on September 24, 2010 and can be renewed with the consent of both parties.