$2.5M for kids’ brain health

Canadian scientists are at the forefront of next-generation neurodevelopmental disability research, enhanced through technology and centered around children, families and community collaboration.

Every day, researchers working with Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) put science to work for children living with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs), along with their caregivers, and families. Essential activities like eating, sleeping, playing and learning can be extremely challenging for children with NDDs and their families.

Strategic Investment Fund

KBHN launched the Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) to advance innovative solutions with strong near-future potential to improve the quality of life for children with NDDs and their families across Canada. The SIF allocates more than $2.5 million to five new research ventures that span the areas of early identification, early intervention and effective evidence-based treatments, and family support. Leveraging public and private sector partnerships, the SIF ventures are expected to impact practice and policy, develop new technologies and new applications for existing technologies, and expand and scale innovations with direct benefits to children and families.
 
Selected through an open competition, each SIF-funded venture includes family and patient stakeholders as part of the research team.

Collaboration with families of children with NDDs, caregivers and community partners is critical to our work. We know that the most impactful research is co-designed, co-developed and co-led with and for the people who stand to benefit from the outcomes, and the overwhelming support from our partners speaks to the strength of our commitment to collaborative scientific research.” 

Nicola Lewis, CEO of KBHN

Brain Canada

Brain Canada contributed nearly $300,000 to support three projects – the ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Training), BCi-Move (Brain Computer interface-Move) and F-Words (Functioning, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends, and Future) research initiatives. Funding from Brain Canada has been made possible by the Canada Brain Research Fund (CBRF), an innovative arrangement between the Government of Canada (through Health Canada) and Brain Canada Foundation. To date, Health Canada has invested over $155 million through the CBRF which has been matched by Brain Canada Foundation and its donors and partners.

We are pleased to join forces once again with Kids Brain Health Network to invest in projects that aim to improve the lives of children in Canada with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. Understanding diverse research outcomes in brain science will not only change how we diagnose and support children with brain-based disabilities, but it will also have implications for our understanding of brain health for people of all ages.”

Dr. Viviane Poupon, President and CEO of Brain Canada

Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) contributed more than $600,000 to the SIF, and ventures were required to receive matching funds and in-kind contributions from community partners. This goal was far exceeded with nearly $1.9 million coming from partnering organizations.
 
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