Mental Health & Addictions

Awarded Grants

SHRF Establishment Grant (2018-2024) - Dr. Gabriela Novotna (PI) $78,000. Project title: Exploring the experiences of substance use professionals in recovery
SHRF Align Grant (2025) - Dr. Gabriela Novotna (PI) $10,000. Project title: Toward continuity of care: A review of the [political] and policy discourses on substance use disorders in Saskatchewan
SHRF Mobilize Grant (2025-2026) - Dr. Kara Fletcher (PI) $10,000. Project title: A digital hub for strengthening relationships: Confronting the challenges of conspiracy thinking and misinformation in Saskatchewan
SSHRC Explore Grant (2025-2026) - Dr. Kara Fletcher (PI) $5,954. Project title: Love in the age of rage: The impact of misinformation, conspiracy theories and political polarization on intimate relationships, a pilot study
SSHRC Insight Development Grant (2024-2026) - Dr. Andrew Eaton (PI) $75,000. Project title: Alternative crisis mental health response models: A knowledge-to-action study
Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation (2023-2026) - Dr. Lise Milne (Co-PI) $10,000. Project title: Win with wellness mental health program evaluation
Centre for Research on Children and Families (CRCF) RBC Fellowship (2023-2024) - Dr. Kara Fletcher (PI) $3,000. Project title: Saskatchewan-wide virtual support group for loved ones affected by substance use and misuse
SSHRC Explore Grant (2023-2025) - Dr. Andrew Eaton (PI) $6,000. Project title: Scoping reviews of civilian and co-response crisis mental health programs
SSHRC Insight Development Grant (2022-2026) - Dr. Kara Fletcher (PI) $74,935. Project title: Stories to tell: A pilot podcast project for youth with lived experience of crystal meth use in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
SWRC Seed Grant (2023-2024) - Dr. Andrew Eaton $5,000. Project title: Civilian and Co-response Crisis Mental Health Programs: Scoping Review and Partnership Formation
SHRF Establishment Grant (2021 - 2026) - Dr. Kara Fletcher (PI) $117,213. Project title: Mental health and substance abuse treatment? Who is missing?
SHRF Innovations Grant (2022-2024) - Dr. Gabriela Novotna (Co-I), Dr. Anthony de Padua (PI) (UofS) $49,989. Project title: Building connections, exploring possibilities, and reducing harm for staff and persons with substance use disorders within the Lighthouse facilities
CIHR Project Grant (2017 - 2020) - Dr. Randy Johner and Dr. Gabriela Novotna (Co-Is) $451,350. Project title: Access to Recovery with Assistive Technology Devices
SHRF Establishment Grant (2017 - 2019) - Dr. Gabriela Novotna (PI) $78,200. Project title: Professional Identity Development of Addiction Counsellors in Recovery Working in Addiction Services in Saskatchewan
Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse - Nodes (2014 - 2019) - Dr. Darlene Chalmers (Co-I), Dr. Gabriela Novotna (Co-I) $1,750,000. Project title: Praire CRISM Node Proposal

Publications

Novotna, G., Siddique, A., & D’Sena, N. (2026). Balancing recovery and professional practice in the context of substance use services: A qualitative exploration. Contemporary Drug Problems. https://doi.org/10.1177/00914509251414998

Novotna, G., Siddique, A., D’Sena, N. (under review). Recovery management of the substance use counsellors with lived experience in the age of neoliberalism: A qualitative exploration. Contemporary Drug Problems.

Novotna, G. (invited manuscript, submitted). Beyond recovery: Navigating dual roles and organizational and systemic barriers in the substance use workforce. Substance Use: Research and Treatment.

Rosas, C., Li., J., Fletcher, K. (under review). The effects of conspiracy beliefs on family and friends’ relationships: A systematic review. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. Fletcher, K., Rosas, C., Li, J (under review) Love in the age of rage: The impact of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and polarization on intimate relationships, a scoping review. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy.

Eaton, A. D., Rowe, M., Nguyen, A., Lowe, L., Fletcher, K., Adenwala, A., Sudom-Young, S., Rackow, R., Poellet, L., McDonald, M., & McInroy, L. B. (2025). Processes of co-response crisis mental health models: a scoping review. Advances in Mental Health, 1–24.
https://doi.org/10.1080/18387357.2025.2522434

Muhajarine, N., Dixon, J., Ahmed, M.S., Bukhari, A., Clifford, J., Adeyinka, D.A., Novotna, G., & Dyck, E. (2025). Co-occurrence of depression, anxiety and increased alcohol use during the late stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Saskatchewan, Canada: A cross-sectional survey. British Medical Journal of Public Health, 3:e000965. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjph-2024-000965

Rowe, M. W., Nguyen, A., Lowe, L., Fletcher, K., & Eaton, A. D. (2025). Restructuring crisis response programs as civilian-led: A scoping review. International Journal of Mental Health Systems. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6674129/v1

Novotna, G., & Siddique, A., D'Sena, N. (2023). Recovery Management in Addiction Counsellors with Lived Experience of Substance Use: A Qualitative Exploration. Contemporary Drug Problems.

Batholomew, C., Kwaku Essien, S., Novik, N., & Ankrah, M. (2023). Long working hours, perceived work stress, and common mental health conditions among full-time Canadian working population: A national comparative study. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 12, 100508, ISSN 2666-9153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2023.100508

Novotna, G., Nielsen, E., & Berenyi, R. (2023). Harm Reduction Strategies for Severe Alcohol Use Disorder in the Context of Homelessness: A Rapid Review. Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment. https://doi.org/10.1177/11782218231185214

Adeyinka, D.A., Novik, N., Novotna, G. et al. Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation, cannabis, and alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saskatchewan: findings from a joint-effect modeling. BMC Psychiatry 23, 571 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05051-w

Muhajarine N., Adeyinka, D.A.A., Pisolkar, V., Ahmed, M.S.S., Kallio, N., Coomaran, V., McIntosh, T., Novik, N., & Jeffery, B. (2022). Equity analysis of repeated cross-sectional survey data on mental health outcomes in Saskatchewan, Canada during COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(21), 13808. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113808

Mfoafo-M’Carthy, M., Moasun, F., Novotna, G., & Christensen, D. (2021). The typologies of mental health, addiction, and problem gambling systems integration in Ontario. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00551-w

Fletcher, K. (2022). I’m an addiction researcher and therapist. Here’s why promoting sober ‘dry months’ bothers me. The Conversation Canada. https://theconversation.com/im-an-addiction-researcher-and-therapist[1]heres-why-promoting-sober-dry-months-bothers-me-176657

Publications: Books & Chapters

Fletcher, K. (in press for 2026). Integrative approaches to couple and family therapy in Canada: A beginners guide. Canadian Scholars Press.

Fletcher, K. (2023). Trauma issues and substance use: Considerations for social work practice. In R.Csiernik, W. S. Rowe, & G. Novotna (Eds.). Responding to the oppression of addiction, fourth edition. pp. 418-432. Canadian Scholars Press.

Souleymanov, R., & Pino, F. (2023). Understanding substance use and addiction from a queer perspective: Towards mobilizing a queer-oriented harm reduction approach. In R. Csiernik, W.S. Rowe, & G. Novotna (Eds.), Responding to the oppression of addiction: Canadian social work perspectives (4th ed., pp. 327-339). Canadian Scholars

Csiernik, R., Rowe, W.S., & Novotna, G. (2023). Creating a holistic understanding of addiction. In Csiernik, R., Rowe, W.S., Novotna, G (Eds.)., Responding to the oppression of addiction: Canadian Social Work perspectives (4th Ed.). Canadian Scholars' Press.

Novik, N., McKee, B., & Pearce, K. (2022). Social work practice and mental health services outside of urban settings. In Jeffery, B., & Novik, N. (Eds.), Rural and northern social work practice: Canadian perspectives. University of Regina, Regina, SK. ISBN 978-0-7731-0784-7

Publications: Other

Fletcher, K., Rosas, C., Xi, J (2025). Love in the age of conspiracy: 5 tips to deal with disinformation and political polarization in relationships. The Conversation Canada. https://theconversation.com/love-in-the-age-of-conspiracy-5-tips-to-deal-with-disinformation[1]and-political-polarization-in-relationships-251797

Billington, J., & Novik, N. (2023). Social work, mental health and wellness apps. The Saskatchewan Social Worker [Newsletter], 34(2), June 2023.

Fletcher, K. (2023) Glass Gateway. Research project website. https://glassgateway.wixsite.com/podcast

SWRC Research Projects