In 2018, CCSA partnered with the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative to launch the Brain Builders Lab, a community-based effort to align policies, practices, and perceptions of substance use with the neuroscience of childhood trauma and resilience.
For this initiative, CCSA selected 65 Brain Builders, primarily active in health care, education, and child and family services, from nine provinces. We supported them in developing, implementing and evaluating two-year projects that aimed to raise awareness of the science and advocate for its application in policy and practice.
The accomplishments of the Brain Builder’s 2019–2021 projects are described in a report and series of case studies. This includes:
- A summary of the Brain Builders Lab;
- A summary of lessons learned about implementing and evaluating Brain Builder projects; and
- A series of case studies illustrating each lesson.
Many of the case studies are also captured in a series of impact videos.
Impacts and Lessons from the Brain Builders Lab: Practical Advice on How to Spread and Embed Brain Story Science in Communities is a summary of the top 10 lessons learned about implementing and evaluating Brain Builder projects. It describes the results from the Brain Builder’s Lab and their community-based effort to align policies, practices and perceptions of substance use with the neuroscience of childhood trauma and resilience. The impact case studies below illustrate each of these lessons.
Impact Case Studies
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| York Region Public Health: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study summarizes the York Region Public Health’s Brain Builders Lab project. The team found that that brain story science was a key missing piece across many sectors and service providers in York Region, Ontario. It provided a foundational evidence-base, showing why public health and prevention efforts are critical to individual and community health and well-being. This case study outlines their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Valley Community Services Society: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study examines the Valley Community Services Society’s Brain Builders Lab project. The Brain Builder, from the Valley Community Services Society in Creston, BC, integrated brain story science into her own organization, Valley Community Services Society, as well as in the broader community. This case study outlines their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| YMCA of Three Rivers: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study summarizes the YMCA of Three Rivers Brain Builders Lab project. The project aims to influence practice, policy and the community conversation around brain science. In collaboration with the Early Literacy Alliance in Waterloo Region, they began offering a series of Brain Story workshops to community groups. This case study outlines their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study outlines Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s Brain Builders Lab project. A team of public health nurses in substance use prevention and harm reduction at the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit in Ontario brought the Brain Story to the health unit with the goal of spreading the understanding of brain science and increasing the understanding of addiction and its root causes. This case study includes their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| School District 91, Nechako Lakes: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study describes School District 91, Nechako Lakes Brain Builders Lab project. As a Psychologist in School District 91, Nechako Lakes, British Columbia, the Brain Builder aimed to spread and embed Brain Story science throughout the staff in her school district. This case study outlines their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Thunder Bay Drug Strategy and Community Safety and Well-Being Thunder Bay: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study outlines the Thunder Bay Drug Strategy and Community Safety and Well-Being Thunder Bay’s Brain Builders Lab project. The team worked with community partners to co-develop a strategic plan aimed to reduce harms related to substance use and to increase community safety and well-being in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The case study includes their goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Nova Scotia Early Childhood Development Intervention Services: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study describes Nova Scotia Early Childhood Development Intervention Services’ Brain Builders Lab project. As part of the project, Brain Story certification became an essential part of training for all staff at Nova Scotia Early Childhood Development Intervention Services. The staff find that Brain Story science has changed the way they approach families, and that the science has become even more important in building resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. This case study outlines their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Regional Municipality of Durham: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study summarizes the Brain Builders Lab project from Durham’s Best Start network. Durham’s Best Start network, brings together representatives from the early learning community and children’s services. A team from the Regional Municipality of Durham implemented the Brain Story with the hope of communicating the various contributing factors to children exhibiting at-risk behaviours. This case study outlines their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Developmental Trauma Action Alliance: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study describes the Brain Builders Lab project by the Adoption Council of Ontario and the Developmental Trauma Action Alliance. The Brain Builder is an adoptive mother who helped launch the Developmental Trauma Action Alliance (DTAA) in 2017 to support professionals working with children and families who have experienced developmental trauma, as a complement to the Adoption Council of Ontario (ACO) which focuses on the families themselves. This case study outlines her project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Bayview Glen Independent School: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study outlines the Bayview Glen Independent School’s Brain Builders Lab project. The Brain Builder, an educator at Bayview Glen Independent School, in Toronto, Ontario, and her colleagues brought the Brain Story to teachers at their school by giving workshops on the Brain Story science and how it applies to brain development in children. This case study includes their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Horizon Health Network: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study summarizes Horizon Health Network’s Brain Builders Lab project. The team’s goal was to bring Brain Story science to Horizon staff across New Brunswick with the aim of helping caregivers bridge the gap between knowledge and practice. They also created space for patients and clients to talk about trauma and resilience. This case study outlines their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| IWK Health: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study outlines IWK Health’s Brain Builders Lab project. The team, based in Nova Scotia, brought the Brain Story science to IWK Health and Nova Scotia Health to add to the trauma-informed care initiative. Together, they developed sessions to train other staff members and promote the relationships between Brain Story science, ACEs and resiliency for practice and policy development. This case study includes their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Open Doors for Lanark Children and Youth: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study summarizes the Open Doors for Lanark Children and Youth (Open Doors)’s Brain Builders Lab project. Open Doors, located in Lanark County, Ontario, already operates from an attachment-based, trauma-informed approach but the brain story adds evidence to why those approaches are important to their work. The Brain Builder wanted to orient Open Doors staff to the brain story to deepen their understanding of attachment-based, trauma-informed approaches. This case study outlines her project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study describes the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ottawa’s Brain Builders Lab project. Following the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Calgary, this project in Ottawa, Ontario aimed to increase staff and mentor awareness about brain story science in order to improve their capacity to understand and support mentees and their families. This case study outlines her project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Newfoundland and Labrador Network: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study examines the Brain Builders Lab project created by Brain Builders from the Blue Door Program at Thrive in St. John's and the Department of Health and Community Services, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. The team’s vision was spread the Brain Story message through diverse communities and professions in mental health and addictions in their province. This case study outlines their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Additional Activities and Lessons: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study outlines several Brain Builders Lab projects. Throughout the two-year duration of the Lab, several Brain Builders encountered challenges. Despite this, all remained strong champions for the brain story and much can be learned from their efforts and challenges. This case study summarizes the original goals of each of five Brain Builders, their knowledge mobilization efforts and the challenges they encountered, and the outcomes and lessons learned from their work. |
| Alberta Health Services: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study examines Alberta Health Services (AHS) Brain Builders Lab project. The team consisted of AHS Health Promotion Facilitators who work directly with AHS staff and community partners to support mental health promotion and addiction prevention in their respective service areas. The AHS team worked to apply Brain Story science across AHS. This case study outlines their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| The Salvation Army’s Bethany Hope Centre: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study describes the Salvation Army’s Bethany Hope Centre’s Brain Builders Lab project. The team members from Bethany Hope Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, found that brain story science provided a key missing piece for the young families they serve: the link between brain development and long-term outcomes, most notably substance use and domestic violence as these two issues are of great concern for the clientele. This case study includes their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |
| Consortium pour les élèves du nord de l’Ontario: Brain Builders Lab Case Study | Case study summarizes Consortium pour les élèves du nord de l'Ontario’s Brain Builders Lab project. This Brain Builder, a therapist on the school mental health team, and her colleagues and community partners aimed to spread and embed Brain Story science information in their school boards and the community in Northern Ontario. This case study outlines their project goals, knowledge mobilization activities, project outcomes and impact, as well as lessons learned and next steps. |