The Making it Better: Continuous Improvement in Community Mental Health

Co-Principal Investigator:

Terry Krupa, PhD, MEd, BSc(OT), is an Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy and Department of Psychiatry at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario. She holds an appointment as an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the School of Health Sciences at the University of South Australia in Adelaide. She is an occupational therapist with graduate training in adult education and applied psychology. Her research interests include models of service delivery that promote citizenship, the processes of recovery from severe mental illness, rehabilitation approaches for individuals experiencing their first episodes of psychosis and the relationship of work participation to health and well-being for people with severe mental illness. In addition to her research experience, Terry spent many years providing employment support and case management services and was involved in the development and implementation of community-oriented case management services. She is also a founding member of the Ontario Chapter of the Canadian Association of Psychological Rehabilitation Services.

Co-Principal Investigator:

Bonnie Kirsh, PhD., MEd., BSc(OT), is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy and the Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science. She has a background in occupational therapy, adult education and applied psychology. Her area of research is community mental health and in particular, social and environmental factors which influence workforce participation for people with severe mental illnesses. She is involved in research which assesses critical components of community support for users of community mental health services and is examining issues related to the measurement of these characteristics. She is familiar with the mental health system from clinical, administrative and research perspectives.

Co-Principal Investigator:

Dr. Heather Stuart PhD., M.A.,B.A, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, and the Department of Psychiatry at Queen’s University and the Coordinator of the Graduate Program. Dr. Stuart's main research interests are in psychiatric epidemiology and mental health services. Her main goals have been to undertake applied research to help planners solve day-to-day problems and make more informed policy decisions. She has worked in both hospital and community mental health treatment systems where she has conducted needs assessments and evaluation projects. Projects are often diverse but share the common theme that they help to improve evidence-based policy and program planning pertaining to mental health and mental illness. Dr Stuart is particularly interested in international mental health development issues and has worked on several international projects.

Co-Principal Investigator:

Dr. Brian Rush PhD., M.A., B.A., is Associate Director of the Health Systems Research and Consulting Unit, Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, and Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. Dr. Rush has a background of addiction and community mental health services and systems research, social/psychiatric epidemiology, evaluation and planning of community prevention and health care systems, program and policy evaluation, and community needs assessment.

Project Co-ordinator

Salinda Horgan, is currently completing her PhD in Rehabilitation Science at Queen’s University. Salinda received her MA in Community Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University and her BSc (Hon) in Psychology from Trent University. Salinda’s current research involves the examination of elements of organizational structure that influence how community-based mental health services are practiced on an everyday basis.

Workshop Trainer

Jennifer Pyke, has extensive experience in hospital and community mental health settings, in direct service, administration, program development, program evaluation, education and training. Jennifer presently works as an independent consultant.

Culture Broker

Gary Craigen, has worked in the mental health field for over twenty years. He is a founding member of the IAPSRS Ontario Chapter and has contributed through his participation on numerous committees and Boards of Directors. For many years he was the Assistant Executive Director of Progress Place, a clubhouse program in downtown Toronto. From 1992 until June of 2001 he was the Executive Director of a community support program which provided services to persons experiencing significant mental health problems as well as people who are homeless. Recently retired he now lives in Kingston but continues to remain involved in the field.

Making it Better Stakeholder Group

Maurice Fortin – C.M.H.A Thunder Bay Branch
Donna Joyce – Community Mental Health Program of Hastings
and Prince Edward Counties
Marie Lauzier –York Support Services Network
Wendy Czarny –Waterloo Regional Homes for Mental Health Inc.
Barry Fellinger – Crest Centre
Anke Lansky-Johnston – North Shore Community Support Services
Susan Meikle – Community Mental Health Centre – North York East
Don Palmer – Causeway
Ru Tauro – Ministry of Health - Central West Region
Darryl Upfold – Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Aseefa Sarang – Across Boundaries

For more information about the Making it Better project you may contact Salinda Horgan, Project Coordinator, at

613-533-6000 x75456, sh37@post.queensu.ca

Bonnie Kirsh, PhD
Project Investigator
416-978-4647
bonnie.kirsh@utoronto.ca

Terry Krupa, PhD
Project Investigator
613-533-6236
krupat@queensu.post.ca