Shalini Lal, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Contact details (Research)
Canada Research Chair in Innovation and Technology for Youth Mental Health Services
Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CRCHUM)
Pavillon S – 850 rue St-Denis, S03.328
850, St-Denis, S03.452
Montréal, (QC) H2X 0A9
T 514 -890-8000 #31676
www.smjtechno.com | www.ymhtech.com

Contact details (School of Rehabilitation)
T 514 343-6111, #29924
F 514 343-2105
shalini.lal@umontreal.ca

Program
Occupational therapy
Researcher profile (french)


Education

  • B.Sc. Occupational Therapy, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University (1996)
  • M.Sc. Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University (2002)
  • Ph.D. Rehabilitation Sciences,Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia (2012)
  • Postdoctoral Studies in Youth Mental Health and Clinical Health Informatics, Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Health Informatics Group, McGill University; Douglas Mental Health University Institute (2014)

Current research projects

  • Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Pathway for Rapid, Internet-Based Self-Referral to Mental Health Services for Youth: PRISM-ACCESS Open Minds (role: Principal investigator; funded by: IRSC, 2016-2020)
  • Internet-delivered Psychosocial Therapy for Maintaining the Treatment Effects of Specialized Early Intervention for Young Adults with Psychotic Disorders: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Horyzons-Canada – PHASE 1 and 2 – Adaptation and Pilot Testing (role: Principal Investigator; funded by: NARSAD Brain and Behaviour Research Foundation, FRQS – Researcher Establishment Grant & Canada Research Chairs Program, 2015-2020)
  • Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating a Model for Youth Mental Health Service Transformation: ACCESS*- Canada (role: Principal Investigator; funded by: CIHR, 2016-2020)
  • Enhancing Youth Mental Health: A Program of Research into Mental Health Care Needs, Pathways, Outcomes and Services (role: co-Principal Investigator; funded by: CIHR, 2015-2022)
  • Feasiblity, usability, and acceptability of implementing telepsychiatry services using REACTS: Pilot study with clinicians and youth with first episode psychosis, including those experiencing homelessness (role: Principal Investigator; funded by: FRQS – Researcher Establishment Grant & Canada Research Chairs Program, 2015-2020)

Selected publications

  • Lal, S. (2019). E-mental health: Promising advancements in policy, research, and practice. Health Care Management Forum, 32(2), 56-62. doi:10.1177/0840470418818583
  • Iyer, S. N., Shah, J., Boksa, P., Lal, S., Joober, R., Andersson, N., . . . Malla, A. K. (2019). A minimum evaluation protocol and stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial of ACCESS Open Minds, a large Canadian youth mental health services transformation project. BMC Psychiatry, 19(1), 273. doi:10.1186/s12888-019-2232-2
  • Lal, S., Gleeson, J., Malla, A., Rivard, L., Joober, R., Chandrasena, R., & Jimenez, M.-A. (2018). Cultural and contextual adaptation of an eHealth intervention for youth receiving services for First-Episode Psychosis: Adaptation framework and protocol for Horyzons-Canada Phase 1. JMIR Research Protocols, 7(4), e100. doi:10.2196/resprot.8810
  • Malla, A., Shah, J., & Lal, S. (2017). Advances and challenges in early intervention in psychosis. World psychiatry, 16(3), 274-275. doi:10.1002/wps.20453
  • Lal, S., Daniel, W., & Rivard, L. (2017). Perspectives of family members on using technology in youth mental health care: A qualitative study. JMIR Mental Health, 4(2):e21. doi:10.2196/mental.7296
  • Lal, S., Nguyen, V., & Theriault, J. (2018). Seeking mental health information and support online: experiences and perspectives of young people receiving treatment for first‐episode psychosis. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 12(3), 324-330. doi:10.1111/eip.12317.
  • Lal, S., Dell’Elce, J., Tucci, N., Fuhrer, R., Tamblyn, R., & Malla, A. (2015). Preferences of young adults with first-episode psychosis for receiving specialized mental health services using technology: A survey study. Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) – Mental Health. 2(2), e18. doi:10.2196/mental.4400.
  • Lal, S., Donnelly, C., & Shin, J. (2015). Digital storytelling: an innovative tool for practice, education, and research. Occup Ther Health Care, 29(1), 54-62. doi:10.3109/07380577.2014.958888
  • Lal, S., Ungar, M., Leggo, C., Malla, A.K., Frankish, J., & Suto, M. J. (2013). Well-being and engagement in valued activities: Experiences of youth with psychosis. OTJR: Occupation, Participation, and Health, 33(4), 190-197. doi: 10.3928/15394492-20130912-02.
  • Lal, S., Jarus, T., & Suto, M. J. (2012). A scoping review of the Photovoice method: Implications for occupational therapy research. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy. 79(3), 181-190. doi:10.2182/cjot.2012.79.3.8.

      Research interests

      • Improving access and quality of youth mental health services
        • Development, implementation, and evaluation of innovative health services to increase youth and family access to, and engagement with mental health services
        • Examining the use of information and communication technologies to improve the delivery of mental health information, services, and supports for youth and their families
        • Understanding relapse, recovery, and well-being from the perspectives of youth and their families
        • Knowledge translation (science and practice)
        • Service evaluation; stakeholder engagement; participatory, qualitative and mixed methods research