Keeping in Touch: Winter 2018

PolicyWise for Children & Families exists to improve child, family and community well-being by leading, creating and mobilizing research and evaluation for evidence-informed policy and practice.

Lead Create Mobilize.

Our Vision

Alberta is a leader in creating and mobilizing evidence

to ensure the well-being of children, families and communities.

Our Mission

To develop and integrate evidence to inform, identify and

promote effective public policy and service delivery

to improve the well-being of children, families and communities.

What's Inside

Here's what's inside our first newsletter of 2018:

A New Year's message from PolicyWise
Grant winner announcements
A request for feedback from the Alberta Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities
Recent news
A job posting for a Research Director, Data Initiatives at PolicyWise

Happy New Year from PolicyWise!

Our Chairman Emeritus, Dr. Bob Westbury commented that he is pleased with the significant progress PolicyWise has made since it was founded in 2003.

We hope you have a happy and healthy 2018!

From L to R: Current Board Chair: Dr. James Talbot, Chairman Emeritus: Dr. Bob Westbury, current CEO: Robyn Blackadar

Announcing Grant Winners

We are excited to announce the winners for the PolicyWise Fall 2017 grant competitions and the winner of the Addiction and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network Early Career Award.

Congratulations to all the successful applicants!

PolicyWise Grant Winners:

Seed grant:

Dr. Deinera Exner-Cortens - "Exploring visual research as a participatory evaluation method for gender-informed mental health promotion with adolescent boys: A pilot study"

Grant:
- Dr. Dorothy Badry - "Advancing Knowledge on Best Practice and Care of Infants, Child and Youth with Prenatal Substance Exposure/Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Child Welfare"
- Dr. Bukola Salami - "A Participatory Action Research Project to Promote the Mental Health of African, Black, and Caribbean Youths in Alberta"
Doctoral award:

Ms. Melissa Tremblay - "Understanding the Experiences and Outcomes of Teen Families Involved in a Supportive Housing Program"

Addiction and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network Early Career Award Winner:

Dr. Deinera Exner-Cortens - "Healthy relationships as a foundation for school-based mental health: Evaluation, implementation and sustainability"

PolicyWise will not be holding a grant competition in January 2018. The next research grant funding priorities are under discussion with our funding sponsor, Alberta Children's Services. We will provide further information when it becomes available. Please look for upcoming announcements in the PolicyWise newsletter.

Feedback Requested

The Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities (Council) wants to hear from you!

Council is establishing a strategic plan to guide and focus the work for a three year mandate. This Council is reaching out to stakeholders for input into their plan. It is important that Council listen to the community to be able to reflect relevant issues and concerns of the disability community.

Click here to view an information card about the Council that includes two key questions.

Input on these questions is due Friday, February 9th, 2018.

Responses to the questions can be emailed to: [email protected] or if you require assistance or alternate format please contact the office of the Secretariat by phone at: 780-422-1095.

Recent News

PolicyWise staff contributed to an article in The Philanthropist titled "Data Sharing and Privacy Protection: A Case Study from Alberta." Read more here.
The Child and Youth Data Lab shared Data Byte #1701: An Insight on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Educational Achievement. Read more here.
A literature review on trauma, child development, healing and resilience was recently completed with a focus on Indigenous peoples and communities. The review was conducted by Dr. Patti LaBoucane-Benson, Dr. Nicole Sherren, Dr. Deanna Yerichuk and can be read here.

Careers at PolicyWise

PolicyWise is currently hiring a full time Research Director, Data Initiatives in our Edmonton office. Reporting to the Chief Analytics Officer, the Research Director, Data Initiatives is responsible for providing leadership and key strategic advice on the scientific direction of the CYDL and other data initiatives. Learn more about the role and apply here.

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