For over a decade, Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) has dedicated itself to improving the lives of children and families living with neurodevelopmental disabilities by funding innovative research leading to new approaches to aid in early identification, evidence-based interventions and enhanced support for families. The Network’s focus on moving research outputs into practice includes a plan for funding for new initiatives to create a pipeline of projects that have demonstrated research excellence and have the potential to achieve readiness for implementation in the near-term.
In this regard, KBHN is delighted to announce five new awards made under the Implementation Readiness Fund (IRF) competition with a combined total of nearly $500,000 in direct support.
Each of the funded projects is backed by a solid evidence-base for the respective interventions/practice changes. It’s anticipated that the IRF support will allow the projects to complete the final stages of research to achieve implementation readiness.
“Developing scientific innovations and interventions is important,” said Dr. James Reynolds, KBHN Chief Scientific Officer. “But the real impact comes from implementing these innovations into practice to effect change and improve outcomes for children and families living with neurodevelopmental disabilities.”
“We’ve watched two of the projects selected for IRF support evolve through Network funding over the past several years,” said Nicola Lewis, Chief Executive Officer. “And we’re really looking forward to this next crucial step of completing proof of principle and preparations for how best to implement these solutions into the community.”
The following projects will be supported by IRF from 2020-2021:
Client-Oriented Mapping for Point of Care Access to Supports and Services (COMPASS), led by Dr. Jocelynn Cook (University of Ottawa)
This project will pilot the semi-automated creation of recommendations about supports, services, and interventions for individuals with an FASD diagnostic assessment. The data used to generate this information comes from the National FASD Database—the most comprehensive FASD Database in the world—which has been supported by the Network since 2015. The COMPASS project will pilot this tool with support from IRF in two community-based FASD clinics.
Early Detection and Intervention Toolkit for Cerebral Palsy (EDIT-CP), led by Drs. Darcy Fehlings (Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital) and Annette Majnemer (Research Institute at McGill University Health Centre)
Children with Cerebral Palsy need to be diagnosed at a young age so they can start receiving supports and interventions. However, in Canada, early diagnosis is challenging and frequently delayed. This toolkit brings together scientific evidence to help healthcare professionals recognize the signs of CP and diagnose it sooner. The project will test and evaluate different versions of the toolkit in healthcare settings for usability and efficacy.
Secret Agent Society, led by Dr. Jonathan Weiss (York University)
This intervention is designed to help children with autism recognize their emotions and practice social interactions. By playing “games” in a group setting, children learn how to regulate their emotions, which helps to reduce anxiety and outbursts. Secret Agent Society has been shown to be effective in a controlled clinical environment, and in this next phase, IRF support will facilitate the adaptation of the intervention for delivery in a community setting in preparation for a more scalable implementation.
Intelligent Solutions for Sound Sensitivity in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders, led by Drs. Elina Birmingham (Simon Fraser University) and Siamak Arzanpour (Simon Fraser University)
Many children living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are hypersensitive to certain sounds. Current solutions (such as earplugs or general noise-cancelling headphones) block all sounds. This team of researchers is developing a device that selectively filters out specific noises that a child finds triggering or stressful while allowing them to hear other, non-aversive sounds. The next step to be supported by IRF is testing a prototype device in classroom settings.
Math Interactive Learning Experience (MILE) Program, led by Drs. Carmen Rasmussen (University of Alberta) and Jacqueline Pei (University of Alberta)
Many children with neurodevelopmental disorders struggle with math skills. The MILE program was initially developed and has been demonstrated to be effective, in helping children in a small group setting. The IRF will support the community-directed adaptation of this program for the classroom with a subsequent goal to pilot the adaptation in schools.
KBHN congratulates the principal investigators and partners who are leading these projects and wishes them continued success on their implementation journey.
