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Dr. Kutcher is an
internationally-renowned expert in the area of
adolescent mental health and a national and
international leader in mental health research,
advocacy, training, policy, and health services
innovation. Dr. Kutcher uses his considerable expertise
to advance the work of the Sun Life Financial Chair in
Adolescent Mental Health, building awareness and
knowledge about mental health in young people through
the development of program that addresses adolescent
mental health promotion, education and research,
locally, nationally and internationally.
Dr.
Kutcher most recently served as Associate Dean of
International Medical Development & Research with
Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine. At
Dalhousie, he has been chair of the Department of
Psychiatry and has led the development of the Life
Sciences Development Association, the Brain Repair
Centre, and the International Health Office. He is also
the Director of the World Health Organization
Collaborating Centre in Mental Health at Dalhousie.
Amongst
other awards and honors he was chosen by Atlantic
Progress Magazine as one of the top 20 innovators in
Atlantic Canada in 2003, was. named as the 2004 National
Champion of Mental Health Research by the Canadian
Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, received
the 2005 Mary Seeman award from the Canadian Psychiatry
Research Foundation and in 2007 was elected as an
Honorary Fellow of the Canadian Psychiatric Association
in recognition of his achievements in mental health
work. He has been recognized as a “Best Doctor” in
Canada, was awarded the 2008 Health Promotion Award by
Doctors Nova Scotia and received the 2008 CCNP Medal for
his contributions in the development of
neuropsychopharmacology in Canada.
Dr.
Kutcher was a founding member of the Canadian
Association for Mood and Anxiety Treatment, the Advisory
Board for the Institute of Neuroscience, Mental Health
and Addictions (Canadian Institutes of Health Research),
the Science Advisory Committee of NeuroScience Canada,
and the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research.
He has served as a board member for the Canadian Society
for International Health; and the Canadian Psychiatric
Research Foundation and is currently a member of the
Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Child and Youth
Advisory Panel.
Internationally he has worked with various governments,
international organizations (such as the WHO and PAHO)
and through Canadian government agencies such as Health
Canada and CIDA to address a variety of mental health
issues. These have included but are not limited to: peer
education to address mental health and peace building in
northern Uganda; the development of national mental
health policies and plans for Grenada and Guyana;
training of health providers to deliver mental health
care in a number of low income countries; the
development of community based primary care mental
health care capacity in Brazil; situational reviews of
mental health care provision in the English speaking
Caribbean, the development and delivery of a mental
health clinical research training and capacity building
program in Cuba, the development and delivery of a
community based post disaster mental health care
training program in Grenada, a public mental
health/global mental health education and training
program in various countries..
His
current interests include translating mental health
research into clinical care, patient and parent
empowerment, health systems/health policy and
optimization of mental health care/mental health
clinical research through the training of community
based health human resources in primary care. He has
co-developed a number of innovative health human
resources training programs for mental health
competencies that have been delivered in different
countries and has participated in the writing of a
number of national mental health policies/plans. He is
the author of more than 200 scientific papers and also
author/co-author of a number of medical textbooks, has
edited the. Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology News
and has been a consultant to various organizations on
issues pertaining to mental healthtreatments and program
reviews in children, adolescents and adults alike.
Dr.
Kutcher is a nationally and internationally active
speaker, reviewer and technical consultant in psychiatry
and mental health. His work in international medical
development and research advances health sector
knowledge in mental healthacross various disciplines
and health care delivery systems. His knowledge and
experience in policy development, research, health
systems/service delivery, knowledge translation and
clinical care provide him with a broad perspective on
the many issues pertinent to mental health. His track
record of innovation across multiple domains is
consistent with his personal commitment to using best
evidence to inform the creation and delivery of those
programs, activities and interventions, which will
improve the mental health of populations and enhance the
quality of life of those with mental disorders.
updated: August 6, 2008 |
