Addiction is a mental illness that knows no socio-economic, geographic, cultural, gender, or age boundaries. Morbidity and mortality associated with addiction are a public health crisis in Canada, with opioid use deaths increasing at alarming rates. Alcohol and other drug problems also continue to affect large numbers of individuals and families.
In addition to the personal costs of addiction, it comes with enormous societal costs, placing a financial burden on public health care and social services. Moreover, would-be participants in Canada’s economy are sitting on the sidelines, burdened by addiction’s toll.
The University of Calgary is poised to make a difference. Our transformational solution is iPATH (integrated pathway from addiction to health (iPATH). With your help, we can lead ground-breaking change – starting in Calgary and rippling into our provincial and national communities.
Pillar 1: Translating Scientific Understanding Into Prevention And Treatment
Looking at the neurobiology of addiction: translating an understanding of brain circuits into new addiction prevention and treatment strategies.
Pillar 2: The Road To Recovery: Community Focused Research And Pathways To Improve Health
Implementing digital technologies to create a community of focused research within Calgary, using these interventions to aid individuals and to optimize the system’s effectiveness.
Pillar 3: Spreading And Scaling Our Work For Maximum Impact
Spreading and scaling iPATH to other populations. This includes Indigenous, minority and emerging adult populations, and its application pan-provincially and nationally.
For more information, please contact:
Janelle Wakaruk, Executive Director of Development
University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine
t: 403.220.6161 ׀ e: jwakaruk@ucalgary.ca
ucalgary.ca/energized-by-you