Dr. Brian Rush is an emeritus scientist with the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
Since obtaining his PhD epidemiology and biostatistics from the University of Western Ontario in 1987, Brian has worked for almost 45 years as a health services researcher with CAMH (and one of its predecessor organizations (the Addiction Research Foundation). Brian also holds a primary appointment as professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health Department of Public Health Sciences and the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation Graduate Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto. His secondary appointment is professor in the Department of Psychiatry, U of T. Brian currently serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, the Canadian Journal of Addiction and, most recently, was appointed to the editorial board of the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction and the International Journal of Mental health Systems.
AREAS OF RESEARCH
Over the course of his career Brian's work has spanned survey research and evaluations of mental health and substance use services and systems. Brian has led major national projects funded by Health Canada including the development of best practice guidelines for screening, assessment and management of people experiencing mental and substance use disorders and, most recently integrated mental health and substance use needs-based planning models and core services frameworks.
He has conducted major treatment system reviews and strategic planning processes in many Canadian jurisdictions and prepared several syntheses of research evidence, including concurrent disorders, withdrawal management, collaborative care, rapid access services, and mental health and substance use service and sector-level integration. He has also supported the development of evaluation capacity within many Canadian and international jurisdictions and pioneered the development of outcome monitoring systems for substance use services. Most recently Brian’s interests have expanded to the evaluation of outcomes associated with psychedelic-assisted treatment and traditional medicine.
PUBLICATIONS
Rush, B., Marcus, O., Garcia, S., Loizaga-Velder, A., Loewinger, G., Spitalier, A., & Mendive, F. (2021). Protocol for outcome evaluation of ayahuasca-assisted addiction treatment: The case of Takiwasi Center. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, 1203.
Rush, B.R., Tremblay, J., & Babor, T. (2019). (Editorial). Needs-based planning for substance use treatment systems: The new generation of principles, methods and models. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Supplement, (s18), 5–8.
Rush, B.R., Tremblay, J., & Brown, D. (2019). Development of a needs-based planning model to estimate required capacity of a substance use treatment system. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Supplement (s18), 51-63.
Costello, M.J., Sousa, S., Ropp, C, & Rush, B.R. (2018). How to measure addiction recovery? Incorporating perspectives of individuals with lived experience. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.1-14.
Rush, B.R., Chau, N., Rotondi, N.K., Tan, F., & Dutfurth, E. (2016). Recovery monitoring for substance abuse treatment in Ontario: Outcome results from a feasibility assessment. Canadian Journal of Addiction, 7(3), 5-14.
Rush, B.R., Castel, S, Brands, B., Toneatto, T. & Veldhuizen, S. (2013). Validation and comparison of diagnostic accuracy of four screening tools for mental disorders in people with substance use disorders. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 44 (4), 375-83.
Rush, B.R. & Nadeau, L. (2011). Integrated service and system planning debate. In Cooper, D. (Ed.) Responding in Mental Health-Substance Use??Book 3, Chapter 12. Mental Health-Substance Use Book Series: Radcliffe Publishing Ltd., Oxford UK, pp. 148-175
Rush, B.R. (2010) Tiered frameworks for planning substance use service delivery systems: Origins and key principles. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 27, 1- 20.
Rush, B.R., Martin, G., & Corea, L. M. (2009). Monitoring alcohol and drug treatment: What would an optimal system look like? Contemporary Drug Problems. 36, Fall-Winter, 545-574.
Rush, B.R., Scott, C. K., Dennis, M.L., Castel, S., & Funk, R. (2008). The interaction of co-occurring psychiatric problems and recovery management checkups. Evaluation Review. 32 (1), 7-38.
Rush, B.R., Urbanoski, K., Bassani, D., Castel, S., Wild, T.C., Strike, C., Kimberley, D., & Somers, J. (2008). Prevalence of co-occurring mental and substance use disorders in the Canadian population. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 53(12), 800-809.
Health Canada (2001) (B. Rush - Principal Author). Best practice for concurrent mental health and substance use disorders. (Cat. No. H39-599/2001-2E/ISBN: 0-662-31388-7). Ottawa: Health Canada.