Christine Werk

Area of Study / Keywords

FASD policy service delivery privacy legislation mental health criminology

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About

All of my work involves facilitating information sharing for the purpose of providing better services to Albertans.

My main focus of research is around mental health, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and criminology. I investigate how individuals use multiple services and the effects of access or the challenges accessing services at various stages of the lifespan. To complete this work, I use cross-ministry data linkage and epidemiological techniques. Understanding how services are used across ministries is important in providing evidence to inform policies and service delivery government-wide.

Another part of my work is helping service providers understand how and when legislation allows information to be shared. I review legislation such as the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act as well as the Health Information Act for a range of projects including working through specific information sharing situations in terms of how various sections of privacy and program legislation authorize sharing between a variety of service provider types.

Sharing information between service providers, where authorized, helps us move toward integrated service delivery where individuals access one door and receive all services required.

I work in the Information Sharing Office, a Centre of Excellence housed in Service Alberta, in information sharing across ministries. I work directly with policy makers and service providers and engage practitioners and scientists, as their expertise is required.

Degrees

PhD, Concordia University, 2006

MA, Concordia University, 2002

BSc, University of Northern British Columbia, 2000

Clarren, S., Halliwell, C.I., Werk, C.M., Sebaldt, R.J., Petri, A., Lilley, C., & Cook. J

Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology. 2015 January; 22 (3):e211-e227

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Werk, C.M., Tough, S., & Cui, X

First Peoples Child & Family Review. 2013 January; 8 (1):7-16

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Werk, C.M., Cui, X., & Tough, S

Pimatisiwin. 2013 January; 11 (2):197-213