Building Bridges: Linking Woman Abuse, Substance Use and Mental Ill Health
In 2006, the Woman Abuse Response Program launched the initiative ‘Building Bridges: Linking Woman Abuse, Substance Use and Mental Ill Health.’ The goal of this provincial initiative is to encourage and foster cross-sectoral dialogue within and across the Mental Health, Addictions and Anti-Violence sectors.
With the support of the Vancouver Foundation, the Woman Abuse Response Program will be launching a 1 year consultation process starting in September, 2008. During this year we will be facilitating several cross sectoral workshops with service providers in the Anti-Violence, Mental Health and Addictions, Health and Child Welfare sectors. Additionally, we will hold focus groups with women throughout the province to gather information about service barriers, promising practices, policy and research gaps, and recommendations for future directions. Bringing these findings together, we will facilitate a cross-sectoral provincial meeting to draft a Provincial Framework reflecting promising and best practices, setting an innovative direction for BC to improve services for women impacted by abuse, substance use and/or mental ill health.
The consultation concluded in October 2009 and we are now in the process of analyzing and compiling the data. A Provincial Framework will be developed and released in the Fall of 2010.
This page provides information about all Building Bridges events, initiatives, and resources. Please check back often for updates.
Upcoming Events
Building Bridges Symposium
8:30am-11:30am
May 31st, 2010
BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre (or Via Video Conference)
Come participate in this information sharing event to review research and Building Bridges consultation findings. You will also have the chance to hear from leading researchers and practitioners in this field and learn about current initiatives in BC that are addressing these intersecting concerns for women.
For more information click here
Powerpoint Presentations
Please click on each presenter's name to access the powerpoints.
Jill Cory: Building Bridges- Findings and Gaps
Debby Hamilton: Challenges
Nancy Poole: Gender-informed practice and young girls
Amy Salmon: FASD
Jill Cory: Building Bridges- Guiding Principles and Recommendations
Marina Morrow: CGSM
Shabna Ali: Reducing Barriers
Sarah Payne: Sheway
Betty Poag: Herway Home
Evaluation Form
We value any feedback you might have about this symposium. Please click here to access an evaluation form. Evaluation forms can be returned via email: aajaoude@cw.bc.ca or fax: 604-875-2177
Building Bridges Workshops 2010
Do you want to organize a Building Bridges workshop in your community? We are now taking requests to facilitate Building Bridges workshops in communities around BC for Summer and Fall 2010. We can offer these workshops at no or low cost, depending on the location.
This interactive workshop will provide the opportunity for service providers within all sectors, including health, addictions, mental health, anti-violence, justice and child welfare to explore how these issues intersect to create risks to women’s health and safety and add barriers to accessing services. In addition to discussing local issues and brainstorming solutions, attendees will have the opportunity to hear the findings from the recently completed Building Bridges provincial consultation with service providers and women. Challenges, gaps, and barriers in service delivery and recommendations on how to develop an integrated provincial approach to improve services for women will be explored. If you would like more information please contact Alexxa at 604-875-3717 or aajaoude@cw.bc.ca
Past events
Cross Sectoral Workshops (2008/2009)
Building Bridges Information Poster (pdf)
Fraser Health Authority
Two workshops were held in the Fraser Valley: Abbotsford on May 6th and 7th and Langley on June 1st and 2nd. Invitation (pdf) Registration Form (pdf)
Interior Health
We held two cross-sectoral workshops in the Fall, one in Cranbrook and one in Kelowna. Both workshops were well attended and we thank those who participated. Invitation (pdf) Registration Form (pdf)
Northern Health Authority
Two workshops were held in the North on March 11-12, 2009 in Prince George and April 1-2, 2009 in Kitimat. Invitation (pdf) Registration Form (pdf)
Vancouver Coastal Health
One workshop was held on January 12-13, 2008 in Vancouver (Invitation (pdf) and Registration Form (pdf)) and another workshop on the North Shore was held on June 3rd and 4th, 2009 Invitation (pdf) Registration Form (pdf)
Vancouver Island
Three workshop were held on the Island. Workshops were held on January 22-23, 2009 in Victoria; February 5-6th, 2009 in Parksville; and February 9-10,2008 in Courtenay. Invitation (pdf) and Registration Form (pdf)
Transition House Consultation
This consultation for Transition House Workers was held on October 1st, 2008 in Vancouver. Invitation (pdf) Registration Form (pdf)
Anti-Violence Sector Consultation
This consultation was held on November 19, 2008 in Richmond. Invitation (pdf) Registration Form (pdf)
Building Bridges Resources
Building Bridges Consultation Summary Report 2010 (pdf)
This summary document provides background information on the Building Bridges initiative and presents the preliminary findings from the provincial consultation with service providers and women impacted by abuse and mental ill health and/or substance use. The project is lead by the Woman Abuse Response Program, a provincial program of BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre. These findings will form the basis of discussion and planning for the upcoming Building Bridges Symposium and Stakeholder meeting. A final report will be released in the Fall 2010, presenting a framework for enhanced service provision, programming and policy to support women impacted by the overlapping concerns of woman abuse and substance use and/ or mental ill health.
Building Bridges: Linking Woman Abuse, Substance Use and Mental Ill Health; Summary Report 2008 (pdf)
by Louise Godard, Jill Cory and Alexxa Abi-Jaoude. Based on research, practice and women’s narratives confirming that violence is pervasive and central to the development of substance use and mental ill health, we identified the need for direction and action to improve services that support women’s safety and health. This initiative aims to explore the complexities and links between gender based violence, substance use and mental health; explore how these issues impact service delivery and practice; identify the gaps in service provision; and identify and problem solve ways to reduce access and service delivery barriers. This is achieved through province wide discussions, consultations and educational forums with community and health partners to further our knowledge and develop a provincial strategy.
Tools for Integration: Concepts (Quicklinks 1-12)
One of the outcomes of our Building Bridges consultations is the Tools for Integration. This toolkit has been developed in partnership with the Interior Health and Violence Network. This document is in draft form and throughout the year will be updated after receiving feedback from workshop participants around the province. This first set of Quicklinks is meant to be a brief overview of the main concepts that are discussed through Building Bridges. These concepts build the foundation for working across sectors to improve service provision for women impacted by woman abuse, substance use and/or mental ill health.
Other Helpful Resources
Canada Northwest FASD Research Network
The Canada Northwest FASD Researcg Network (CanFASD Northwest) aims to build research capacity across Western Canada and the Territories to address high priority research questions, to devise more effective prevention and support strategies for women, for individuals with FASD and their families, and to better inform policy. http://www.canfasd.ca/
ActNow- Coalescing on Substance Use, Violence and Pregnancy
The Coalescing on Women and Substance Use: Linking Research Practice and Policy project promotes online “virtual” discussions on six key topics related to women's substance use in Canada. Its aim is to build consensus on approaches to improving Canadian services, research and policy in these areas. Information sheets, resources, links and PowerPoint presentations are available on their website: http://www.coalescing-vc.org/
Freedom From Violence: Tools for Working with Trauma, Mental Health and Substance Use (BC Association of Specialized Victim Assistance and Counselling Programs)
Available for download at: http://www.endingviolence.org/node/459 and hard copies are available for $30 through the organization
Here to Help
The organization Here to Help has created a series of resources on mental health and substance use in other languages: Arabic, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, Farsi/Dari, French, Korean, Spanish, Russian, Punjabi, Vietnamese. You can access them here: http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/other-languages
"Me, I'm Living it": The Primary Health Care Experiences of Women who use Drugs in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
The VANDU Women’s Clinic Action Research for Empowerment Project was a qualitative Participatory Action Research project aimed at understanding and improving the primary health care experiences of women who use illicit drugs in the DTES. The research partnership was created to address concerns raised by the VANDU Women’s Group about women’s experiences of primary health care in a context of multiple emerging policy and service reforms. http://www.whri.org/newsandevents/documents/VanduClinic-web.pdf
Meeting Reports
Coming soon...
Contact Details
If you are interested in being added to our email distribution list or have questions, please contact us at 604-875-3717 or aajaoude@cw.bc.ca
Last Updated: December 14, 2009