Proposed Plans for the CRISM Atlantic Node: Establishing a Fifth Node in the Multidisciplinary, Multisectoral Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse (CRISM) Research-Practice Network-of-Networks

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a major public health challenge in Canada. In 2015, CIHR funding established the 1st national network in SUD research, the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse (CRISM). CRISM consists of 4 regional Nodes of SUD researchers, clinicians, health administrators, policy makers, and people with lived and living experience (PWLLE) of substance use (SU). CRISM completed a large national trial comparing 2 models for managing prescription opioid misuse (OPTIMA), conducted research to rapidly respond to the Canadian opioid crisis and provided made-in-Canada evidence that has positively influenced service delivery and policy across the country. We now seek funding for a new 5th node in the CRISM network - the Atlantic Node (formerly part of the Quebec-Atlantic Node) - to continue to strengthen CRISM as a national SUD research network. Objectives are to: 1) Contribute understanding of risks, protective factors, and consequences of SU and SUDs to identify priorities and targets for preventative, treatment, and harm reduction services and policies; 2) Co-develop and co-evaluate novel, meaningful, and accessible interventions (psychosocial, pharmacotherapy, policy) with people in priority populations (e.g., Indigenous, PWLLE) to improve their health and wellbeing; and 3) Establish bidirectional research-practice relations so provider- and priority population-identified service and policy needs drive the research agenda and results are integrated into improved SU services and policies. The new Atlantic node will contribute to a national training program to increase research capacity in SUD intervention research and a national multi-site trial for methamphetamine use disorder. We describe Atlantic contributions to CRISM activities to date, and the proposed activities and resources of the new Node that will enable it to fulfill its objectives, and provide national and regional support to modernize and transform services for people with SUDs.