DIVERT’s Second Annual Hybrid Event – agenda & speakers

DIVERT Mental Health is excited to host a one-day event that brings mental health trainees, faculty, clinicians, industry, and NGO staff to learn together. The event is dedicated to innovative learning activities taught by a multisectoral group of experts ranging from patient-partners to policy makers and clinicians to researchers to innovators. Our day focuses on the intersection of inclusivity (diverse ways of understanding mental health; diverse populations) and accessibility (innovative technologies that increase reach of mental health interventions) in mental health. Participants from a diverse area of disciplines are invited, particularly psychology, medicine, nursing, social work, rehabilitation sciences, computer sciences. Expect to leave with new knowledges and skills to support your work in mental health!

Lunch and coffee breaks will be provided to all in-person participants. Live interpretation from English to French will be provided virtually.

There are only 3 simple steps to register:

1. If you aren’t already an Associate Fellow of DIVERT Mental Health, register here (it only takes a few minutes!). If you are an Associate Fellow, go to step 2.
2. Purchase your Eventbrite ticket before June 21^st. Contact divert@yorku.ca if you have not received the link.
3. Register your personal profile on PheedLoop between June 22^nd and 28^th (you will receive an email on June 22^nd). This will take 5 minutes – paste in a quick bio and upload a photo.

Time

7:45am – 8:20am

Session/Workshop

Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:20am – 8:25am

Welcome & Land Acknowledgements with
Dr. Ruth Green, PhD
Associate Professor, Social Work, York University
Dr. Rebecca Pillai Riddell, CPsych, FCAHS
Tier 1 York Research Chair in Pain and Mental Health,
York University

8:25am – 8:35am

Elder Opening Comments with
Blu Waters
Istchii Nikamoon – Earth Song
2-Spirit Indigenous Elder
Wolf clan. Cree/Metis/Micmac

8:35am – 8:40am

PheedLoop Tutorial (Event Management and Gamification Portal) with
Dr. Rebecca Pillai Riddell, CPsych, FCAHS
Tier 1 York Research Chair in Pain and Mental Health,
York University

8:40am – 8:50am

Ministers’ Video Welcome

8:50am – 9:45am

Taking Leadership in Canada’s Health Research and Clinical Landscape: Navigating Inclusion with
Dr. Chris Mushquash, CPsych, PhD
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Indigenous
Mental Health and Addiction,
Lakehead University

Join us for a thought-provoking session with Dr. Christopher Mushquash, an esteemed Anishinawbe (Ojibway) psychologist, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, and research administrator. Juggling multiple roles, from Professor to Clinical Psychologist to Vice President Research, Dr. Mushquash will discuss and debate the challenges faced by mental health researchers taking on leadership roles locally, nationally, and internationally. In this session, Dr. Mushquash will also delve into the unique challenge of leaders who come from backgrounds not traditionally associated with academic leadership and offer advice about how to approach a career not only as an intensive mental health researcher, but as a researcher trying to build more equitable structures for the next generation of researchers and clinicians.

9:45am – 10:00am

Break with Coffee/Tea and Mid-Morning Snacks

10:00am – 11:00am

Innovation at the Edges of Broken Barriers and Boundaries with
Dr. Ryan Todd, MD
Founder, Headversity
Dr. Steven Stein, CPsych, PhD
Founder, Multi-Health Systems
Dr. Rita Orji, PhD
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Persuasive Technology,
Dalhousie University

Join us for a dynamic panel discussion featuring Drs. Ryan Todd, Steven Stein, and Rita Orji as they explore the imperative need for innovation and entrepreneurship in healthcare. Through insightful reflections and real-world examples, the speakers will address the impact of stable employment structures, risk aversion, and the reluctance to embrace capitalism within the Canadian healthcare system, all of which hinder the proliferation of innovation. Discover the transformative potential of technology in revolutionizing mental health interventions, as they discuss their state-of-the-art innovations for mental health and wellbeing. Drawing from their personal journeys, they will offer firsthand advice on the integration of technology and mental health. They will also offer valuable insights on addressing barriers on transcending business, technology, and mental health sectors.

11:00am – 11:45am

Understanding gender diverse youth to better work with them in research and in intervention with
Dr. Annie Pullen-Sansfaçon, PhD
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair ReParE on partnership
research and empowerment of vulnerable youth,
University of Montréal
Wren Gould, MSW
PhD Student, Dalla Lana School of Public Health,
University of Toronto

This session aims at developing an understanding of what contributes to gender diverse young people’s wellbeing, that is trans, non-binary and detrans youth, in order to develop the best interventions to support them. In the first part of the session, we will provide a critical appraisal of the research evidence related to their health and wellbeing, the various forms of (de)transition they undertake, their autonomy and capacity to make decisions and the factors affecting them, and what kinds of interventions can be put in place to best support them. In the second part of the session, participants will be guided through discussion about the challenges that can emerge as a result of engaging with gender diverse youth, both in practice and in research. The session will conclude by a discussion on how to move forward in applying research evidence in practice.

11:45am – 12:45pm

Networking Activity Over Lunch

12:45pm – 2:00pm

In-person

Unveiling AI’s Potential with Foresight: A Strategic Overview with
Dan Silveira, MDES
Senior Design Consultant, IBM Canada
Manisha Laroia, MDes
Conversational UX & Product Designer (Advisory Designer), IBM Canada
Nicole Amenta, BASc
Software Developer, IBM Canada

Explore strategic foresight’s role in understanding AI’s current trends and their potential implications, both positive and negative, on mental health.

Virtual

Trauma Informed Practice is for Everyone, Mitigating the Impacts of Vicarious Trauma for Researchers with
Dr. Susan McWilliam, PhD
Trauma Informed Care Research & Evaluation Lead, IWK Health Centre Tonya Grant, MSW
IWK Provincial Clinical Lead for Trauma Informed Care, IWK/NSH Child/Youth Mental Health & Addictions

How can researchers prepare to work in environments where they may experience difficult and/or traumatic research data or exposures? This session will review the highlights of trauma-informed practice and research to explore how researchers can be impacted by vicarious trauma through second-hand exposure to difficult, graphic, and/or traumatic information. We will review the differences between direct trauma, secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and moral distress. This session will also review vicarious resilience and discuss how supervisors can support their research teams. Presenters will assist participants to map out a plan to minimize and mitigate vicarious trauma when working in trauma exposed research environments.

2:00pm – 2:10pm

Lunchtime Activity Ranking

2:10pm – 3:25pm

In-person

Trauma Informed Practice is for Everyone, Mitigating the Impacts of Vicarious Trauma for Researchers with
Dr. Susan McWilliam, PhD
Trauma Informed Care Research & Evaluation Lead, IWK Health Centre Tonya Grant, MSW
IWK Provincial Clinical Lead for Trauma Informed Care, IWK/NSH Child/Youth Mental Health & Addictions

How can researchers prepare to work in environments where they may experience difficult and/or traumatic research data or exposures? This session will review the highlights of trauma-informed practice and research to explore how researchers can be impacted by vicarious trauma through second-hand exposure to difficult, graphic, and/or traumatic information. We will review the differences between direct trauma, secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and moral distress. This session will also review vicarious resilience and discuss how supervisors can support their research teams. Presenters will assist participants to map out a plan to minimize and mitigate vicarious trauma when working in trauma exposed research environments.

Virtual

Unveiling AI’s Potential with Foresight: A Strategic Overview with
Dan Silveira, MDES
Senior Design Consultant, IBM Canada
Manisha Laroia, MDes
Conversational UX & Product Designer (Advisory Designer), IBM Canada
Nicole Amenta, BASc
Software Developer, IBM Canada

Explore strategic foresight’s role in understanding AI’s current trends and their potential implications, both positive and negative, on mental health.

3:25pm – 3:40pm

Break with Coffee/Tea and Afternoon Snacks

3:40pm – 4:10pm

Understanding the Healing Power of Jingle Dress Dance with
Emilee Ann & Sara Pitawanakwat

The Jingle Dress dance is a lifelong commitment to giving prayers and is a medicine dance that holds deep importance in healing practices, tracing its origins back to the Ojibwe of the Minnesota-Ontario area. Emilee Ann Pitawanakwat is an 11 year old dancer that dances Hoops, Fancy Shawl and recently was gifted a Jingle Dress. Emilee Ann will share the healing powers of this dress through dance and her mother (Sara Pitawanakwat) will tell the story of how Emilee Ann came to dance Jingle Dress and the specific healing powers of her dress! This is her first powwow season dancing Jingle, however she has been dancing since she was 4 and is a well known performer! Emilee is Anishinaabe from Wikwemikong First Nation. She is Thunderbird Clan.

4:10pm – 4:25pm

Wrap-up and reflections
Blu Waters
Istchii Nikamoon – Earth Song
2-Spirit Indigenous Elder
Wolf clan. Cree/Metis/Micmac

2-Spirit Indigenous Elder Blu Waters will book-end the day by taking their observations from the sessions and workshops and reflecting back on the conversations through an Indigenous knowledge and healing lens.

4:25pm – 4:30pm

Closing Remarks