Fourth R (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health - Centre for Prevention Science)

CAMH Centre for Prevention Science (CAMH-CPS) is a unit within the Social and Epidemiological Research department at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada’s largest Mental Health Hospital.   The CAMH-CPS subscribes to a population health approach to promoting health and reducing risk, and we are committed to research on healthy relationships and the prevention of risk-related behaviours among children and youth.

We are a multi-disciplinary site with a team that includes a blend of researchers, psychologists, educators, programming staff, and graduate students from numerous disciplines. Our staff collaborates closely and has partnerships with a variety of school boards, community agencies, and academic institutions. In particularly, we develop and evaluate programs, resources, and training materials for educators and other front-line professionals who work with youth.With partners across North America, the CAMH-CPS is also uniquely involved in health promotion and prevention research for youth in schools and the broader community.

The CAMH-CPS is home to the Fourth R project for schools, a comprehensive violence prevention and healthy relationship program. Fourth R initiatives use best practice approaches to target multiple forms of violence, including bullying, dating violence, peer violence, and group violence. By building healthy school environments we provide opportunities to engage students in developing healthy relationships and decision-making to provide a solid foundation for their learning experience. Increasing youth relationship skills and targeting risk behaviour with a harm reduction approach empowers adolescents to make healthier decisions about relationships, substance use and sexual behaviour.