Help us better understand how to improve access to virtual mental health care for marginalized people in the context of COVID-19!

A project funded by the Canadian Institute of Heath Research

Click here to download this notice as a PDF.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began there has been a quick shift to the delivery of online and telephone mental health care. We know that people who may experience marginalization (including people with existing mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC), women, LGBTQIA2S+ folks, older adults, immigrants and refugees, unhoused people, people with disabilities and others) may be more likely to experience negative mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also know that they might encounter specific challenges in accessing virtual (Internet or telephone-based) mental health care.

We are holding virtual consultations to better understand the experiences of marginalized people with mental health and virtual mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia Pacific countries. We invite you to participate if:

• You are a person who has lived experience of mental illness, identify as a member of a marginalized group, and/ or are a representative of an organization that serves marginalized groups

• Live in an Asia Pacific Country such as Canada, the United States, Australia, China, Chile, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, Mexico, Peru or another APEC country

• Speak English [regional consultations will be held in other languages to allow non-English speakers to participate]

This consultation is part of a study called “Technology for Equitable Access to Mental Health Care - COVID-19 in the Asia-Pacific” (TEAM-CAP), funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Based on the results of this study, we will develop recommendations to improve access to virtual mental health care for at-risk groups that will be shared with policy makers and healthcare providers throughout the Asia Pacific.

You are invited to participate in a 3-step consultation process, which will include the following:

You will receive $40 CAD as a token of appreciation for sharing your time and knowledge.

The 2-hour virtual group meetings will take place at the following times on Zoom. You may select which date and time works best for you:

Please let us know by October 16^th if you would be interested in participating in this process and which date and time you prefer. Once you confirm, we will send further details and instructions for participation in this process. 

Your knowledge will be invaluable. It will help us to better understand the gaps and needs of virtual mental health care delivery for marginalized populations in the context of COVID-19 and help us to provide recommendations for digital mental health care delivery.

Following the 3 steps mentioned above, you also will be invited to participate in an additional, optional virtual group meeting where we will share results and present recommendations for improving access to virtual mental health care among vulnerable groups.

If you have questions, please email Ms. Amna Khan, Research Coordinator at: amna.khan@ubc.ca or call at 604 – 822 – 0332.

Kind regards, 

Principle Applicants: Raymond W. Lam, MD, Jill Murphy, PhD, Erin E. Michalak, PhD

Co-Investigators: Andrew Greenshaw, PhD; Chee Ng, MD; Arun Ravindran, MD, PhD; Simon Hatcher, MD;  John O’Neil, PhD; Vu Cong Nguyen, MD; Harry Minas, MBBS; Jun Chen, MD, PhD; Mellissa Withers, PhD; Angela Paric, PhD; Tae-Yeon Hwang, MD, PhD; Sapna Mahajan, MPH; Matias Irarrazaval, MD, MPH; Nguyen Van Hoi; Nurashikin Ibrahim, MBBS, MPH; Karen Sharmini, MBBS, MPH.