St. Francis Xavier University, together with its partners, is pleased to announce Dr. Jill Murphy, a mental health services and implementation science researcher whose collaborative work promotes equitable access to mental health prevention, promotion and care worldwide, has been appointed as the new endowed Research Chair in Mental Health and Addictions at StFX.
The Province of Nova Scotia, QEII Foundation, and StFX partnered on the creation of this new chair and in December 2023 announced Medavie as the first private funder to the project, helping establish a chair that will serve as a nation-leading model for the investigation and treatment of mental health and addictions.
The Research Chair in Mental Health and Addictions at StFX will be supported by a $5 million endowment. The Province of Nova Scotia and QEII Foundation have each contributed $1 million and StFX is committed to raising an additional $3 million to complete the $5 million funding target. Medavie’s gift of $500,000 is being used to accelerate the hiring of the chair so the impact on the community can be immediate.
STRENGTHENING MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM IN NS
“I am thrilled to take on the Research Chair in Mental Health and Addictions role at StFX and to have the opportunity to partner with the Government of Nova Scotia and the QEII Foundation. It’s particularly exciting to work with partners who are invested in strengthening the mental health system in Nova Scotia and who recognize the essential role that research plays in informing mental health policy and practice,” says Dr. Murphy, who as the new Research Chair will capitalize on the wealth of data produced by NS Health, as well as investigate the related determinants of health in Nova Scotia; and coordinate partnerships that link together research, care, health policy and system changes.
“I am looking forward to building on the fantastic work that’s already taking place in the mental health sector in Nova Scotia and to fostering new collaborations with community-members, researchers, clinicians, and policy makers across the province. I’m especially committed to creating a program of research that centres diverse people with lived and living experience, their families, carers and communities. In this role it’s my goal to undertake collaborative research that is relevant to communities and leads to concrete improvement in access to mental health and addictions supports when and where people need them.”
Dr. Murphy has been a Research Associate with the Mood Disorders Centre in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia (UBC) since 2020. She received a PhD in Health Sciences from Simon Fraser University in 2016 and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addictions at Simon Fraser University and as a MITACS Elevate Postdoctoral Fellow at UBC.
ENHANCE EQUITABLE ACCESS
Her research explores the use of approaches including digital technologies and the integration of mental health care into community-based settings to enhance equitable access to evidence-based mental health interventions that are accessible and appropriate for diverse communities. She is particularly interested in the meaningful engagement of people with lived and living experience of mental health conditions in research and in policy engagement to promote mental health systems strengthening.
Dr. Murphy has worked extensively in international settings, and is currently leading and collaborating on studies in Canada, Vietnam and China. Dr. Murphy is the Executive Director of the APEC Digital Hub for Mental Health and is a member of the eMental Health International Collaborative’s Global Leadership Council.
Born and raised in Newfoundland and with family in Nova Scotia, Dr. Murphy says she is looking forward to coming home to the east coast and to joining the StFX community.
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
“The appointment of Dr. Jill Murphy as Research Chair in Mental Health and Addictions within the Victor and Mona Dahdaleh Institute for Innovation in Health will help strengthen the considerable research strengths at StFX in this critically important area and will have significant benefits for Nova Scotia,” says Dr. Karen Brebner, Interim Associate Vice-President Research, Graduate and Professional Studies. “Dr. Murphy will work closely with the NS Health Mental Health and Addictions program, as well as other researchers and community partners across Nova Scotia to improve mental health and addiction health outcomes, particularly in rural communities.”
SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE
"Mental health and addictions support is a key pillar of the QEII Foundation's We Are campaign and we're incredibly proud to have contributed $1 million to this important initiative," says Susan Mullin, President and CEO of the QEII Foundation. "The appointment of Dr. Jill Murphy as the inaugural chair is a significant milestone for our province and we're excited to see the innovative solutions and breakthrough research she drives forward within this role."
UNIQUE INSIGHT
“Today’s news marks an important milestone for StFX and for mental health and addictions in Nova Scotia,” says the Hon. Brian Comer, Minister of Addictions and Mental Health. “Research, collaboration and innovation will continue to be key to delivering on our commitment to universal mental health and addictions care for Nova Scotians. Dr. Murphy brings unique insight and experience to this role – the first of its kind in Nova Scotia – during an exciting time for the province.”
IMPROVING WELLBEING
“The Medavie Foundation is thrilled to have supported the establishment of a Research Chair in Mental Health and Addictions at St. Francis Xavier University,” said Andrea Elliott, Director of Social Responsibility and the Medavie Foundation. “Dr. Murphy’s experience integrating evidence-based mental health care into primary care and community-based settings aligns with Medavie’s commitment to provide equitable, community-minded care to those who need it. We look forward to continuing to partner with Dr. Murphy and StFX to improve the wellbeing of young people across Nova Scotia.”
INFORM AND GUIDE PRIORITIES
“The Nova Scotia Health Mental Health and Addictions Program (MHAP) is excited to be a partner with St. Francis Xavier University, the QEII Foundation, the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, and Medavie in welcoming Dr. Jill Murphy, the successful candidate for the inaugural chair in Mental Health and Addictions at StFX,” says Andrew Harris, Senior Medical Director, Nova Scotia Health MHAP. “Health systems research is of growing importance in today's complex healthcare environment. Nova Scotia Health MHAP has undergone transformational change in the past five years with many new and innovative ways to provide care to Nova Scotians. We are excited by the prospect of focused research in Nova Scotia to inform and guide strategic care priorities in mental health and addictions.”
STRENGTHEN RESEARCH
At the announcement of the Research Chair in December, the partners had noted the magnitude and pressing nature of mental health and addictions challenges has motivated a new effort to strengthen applied mental health and addictions research capabilities that can inform practice and policy efforts to improve health outcomes across Nova Scotia.
Research stemming from this position will inform best practices and policies for other rural communities across Canada like northeastern Nova Scotia. This will also include marginalized residents such as Indigenous Peoples, children and youth, individuals affected by low incomes, and elderly people coping with mental health and addiction.
StFX is expanding its impact on health and wellness in rural Nova Scotia, with the Victor and Mona Dahdaleh Institute for Innovation in Health planned to open in 2025. Faculty members across disciplines are already undertaking nation-leading research in the areas of mental health and addictions. The work of the new Research Chair will also engage with the National Collaborating Centre for the Determinants of Health (NCCDH), a national centre of excellence for knowledge mobilization and translation, which has been housed at StFX for more than a decade.
