Elaine Hyshka wins Trailblazer Award for her public health approach to substance use in North America

Congratulations to Elaine Hyshka, assistant professor at the School of Public Health, for being awarded the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's 2020 Trailblazer Award in the early career category! 

This career achievement award recognizes exceptional contributions in the area of population and public health research. Elaine Hyshka is a highly regarded public health leader whose research and leadership are advancing a public health approach to substance use in North America. The overdose epidemic is a defining public health crisis of our time, and the product of multiple policy and health system failures, compounded by stigma and discrimination against people who use drugs and those living with substance use disorders. Reversing it requires reallocating resources away from criminalization and punishment towards a public health approach that centres individuals' rights, dignity, and health, and mitigates structural factors that create and shape inequitable distributions of substance-related harm. 

Hyshka has advised municipal, provincial, federal, and US governments, health authorities, and civil society organizations on substance use issues and held a number of leadership positions that directly influenced public health policy and practice change. She regularly engages in capacity building activities that support people who use drugs and their families in advocating for public health solutions that reduce substance-related harm and promote health equity. Congratulations Elaine!  

Hyshka's award winning work has been made possible thanks to funding from CIHR, the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation, Policywise for Children & Families, the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse and strong partnerships with the Inner City Health and Wellness Progam’s Community Advisory Group, Alberta Health Services, Streetworks Edmonton, Boyle Street Community Services, and many others.