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Population Health Perspectives on Mental Health and Addictions

Course Number
CHL5120H
Series
5100 (Social and Behavioural Health Science)
Format
Online
Course Instructor(s)
Mikaela Gabriel

Course Description

  • This course will draw on the expertise of researchers affiliated with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the University of Toronto’s Department of Psychiatry to present an overview of issues related to mental health and addictions. Using a population health framework that situates mental health/mental illness and addictions in a complex web of social determinants and societal response, it will examine the epidemiology of these disorders, the philosophies and practices of treatment and prevention services, and the design of service delivery systems, including recent attention to the reform of such systems in Ontario. The course also will look at the particular contexts of mental illness and addictions for several specific populations, e.g., persons with developmental disabilities, Aboriginal people, and workers.
  • The course format is lecture/seminar. There will be 14 two-hour weekly sessions in total. These sessions will include introductory sessions led by the course instructors and focused topic sessions led by guest speakers followed by interactive discussion led by students, as well as research sessions.

Course Objectives

  • To promote understanding of the population health framework and its application to issues in mental health and addictions
  • To provide an introduction to the epidemiology of mental illness and addictions
  • To present a description of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention and treatment services in mental health and addictions and to introduce some of the conceptual and practical issues related to providing such services
  • To elucidate the design of mental health and addictions service delivery systems and to explore the process of system reform in Ontario
  • To examine contextual issues relevant to mental health and addictions in specific populations
  • To introduce students to the research interests and expertise of faculty affiliated with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

General Requirements

  • None