About us
The MEND Initiative is a student-led Capstone project within the TRP. Our goal is to collaborate with autistic adults (18 years of age and older) in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to develop an intervention that empowers them to express their mental health needs to their chosen healthcare provider(s).
Background
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties with socialization, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive or restricted behaviours and/or routines (Lai et al., 2019). Autistic individuals experience a greater prevalence of mental health conditions compared to the neurotypical population (Lai et al., 2019). This is problematic as experiencing co-occurring mental health conditions increases the possibility of worse long-term health outcomes and quality of life (Lai et al., 2019).Despite an increased need for mental health support, autistic adults in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) report experiencing difficulties expressing their mental health needs to their chosen healthcare provider, including family physicians, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists. Thus, there is a need to empower autistic adults to express their mental health needs to their chosen healthcare provider.Our team has established our unmet need by conducting a needs analysis utilizing the Toronto Translational Framework (TTF). To understand the problem space and validate this need, we have spoken to a group of 10 autistic adults, 5 caregivers (a parent or sibling of an autistic individual), and 10 professionals working in the autism field (from organizations/institutions such as Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH), and Autism Canada). Moreover, we have conducted reviews of white and grey literature and internet resources.Our next steps include forming an Autistic Advisory Committee (AAC) to co-design an intervention via participatory design and running focus groups for intervention testing and evaluation.
Capstone defense
The MEND Initiative had their capstone defense on July 15th, 2024. Watch the video:Â
Team members
Katie Boddison
See Katie's full profile
Alena Moya
See Alena's full profile
Mouzhan Varshoueitabrizi
See Mouzhan's full profile
Abitha Suthakaran
Abitha is passionate about improving health outcomes for marginalized communities, including people of colour, the neurodiverse population, and the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Project Advisory Committee
Sandra Palmaro
Sandra has spent more than 25 years in leadership positions in the corporate, not for profit, and education sectors. After 14 years with Microsoft Canada, Sandra held leadership roles at SickKids Foundation, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and, most recently, at Wilfrid Laurier University.
Emily Tam
Emily is a registered Nutritionist/Dietitian who provides nutrition counselling using an approach founded on the principles of collaborating with clients to identify realistic goals and supporting them in implementing their individualized nutrition plans. She is especially passionate about supporting people to achieve recovery from disordered eating and eating disorders.
Anita Federici
Dr. Anita Federici is a Clinical Psychologist and the Owner of The Centre for Psychology and Emotion Regulation, a private Clinic specializing in the assessment and treatment of eating disorders, personality disorders, and trauma. Anita has an established reputation for her work as a therapist, clinical trainer, researcher, program director and consultant.
TRP Supervisors
Dr. Joseph Ferenbok
Driven to improve patient care, Prof. Ferenbok catapults projects forward with passion, wisdom, and a contagious chuckle. He is an Associate Director of the Health Innovation Hub, a Faculty of Medicine initiative intended to connect, align, serve, and facilitate the translation, innovation, and commercialization of 'Health Matters'.
Dr. Edyta Marcon
Edyta loves to encounter new questions, apply new knowledge, and meet new people. As a Senior Research Associate at the U of T Donnelly Centre, she currently studies how RNA modifications regulate gene expression and how they relate to human health and disease. Her interests extend beyond the laboratory into the application of scientific research using human centric design thinking.
