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Addiction and Mental Health

The Addiction and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network (SCN) brings together expert clinicians, researchers, patients and other groups and individuals dedicated to addiction and mental health care.

Together this diverse group is working to engage stakeholders in the dissemination and implementation of best evidence practices to prevent, treat and improve outcomes in addiction and mental health

Addiction and mental health care is an important part of our health care system. One in three Albertans accessed mental health services through a physician over the last three years.

Working together we want to ensure appropriate processes and pathways are in place so that health care professionals can guide patients through the system and provide quality, evidence-based care.

Priorities and projects

The Addiction and Mental Health SCN is currently working on projects in the following areas:

Depression: The SCN is developing care pathways – or plan – based on a patient’s specific set of symptoms.

The Adolescent Depression Pathway is currently being piloted in the Edmonton Zone.
The Addiction and Mental Health SCN is working with the Seniors Health SCN to develop the Seniors Depression Pathway.
The Seniors Health SCN is working with the Addiction and Mental Health SCN on guidelines to help increase consistent and appropriate use of anti-psychotics in long term care facilities provincewide.

While these priorities are underway the SCN is also looking at other areas where a difference can be made in the future. Future areas include:

Peer Support Models
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Pathway
Anxiety Pathway
School Based Promotion/Prevention Programs
Emergency Room Mental Health Care

What’s new?

The Addiction and Mental Health SCN is pleased to welcome Dr. Peter Silverstone to the team as Scientific Director.

Dr. Silverstone is a Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. He trained in psychiatry at Maudsley Hospital and Institute of Psychiatry in London and then at Oxford University, where he completed his Doctoral Fellowship, before joining the University of Alberta in 1992. He is an active researcher and teacher, having published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and has given more than 150 national and international presentations.

How to get involved

Strategic Clinical Network success depends on getting the right people involved at the right time. As the Addiction and Mental Health SCN moves forward it will continue to need help from clinicians, researchers, patients and communities.

If you are a patient interested in getting involved contact Patient Engagement to learn more.

For others looking at getting involved please contact the Addiction and Mental Health SCN via email: