Elliot Goldner
- Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences
Email: egoldner@sfu.ca
Tel: 778-782-5027
Office: HC 2426
Education
- Honours BSc, Neurophysiology, University of Toronto
- MD, University of Calgary
- FRSPC (Psychiatry), University of British Columbia
- MHSc (Health Care and Epidemiology), University of British Columbia
Biography
Dr. Elliot Goldner received an Honours B.Sc. degree with a major in neurophysiology at the University of Toronto, an M.D. degree at the University of Calgary and an M.H.Sc. degree in health care and epidemiology at the University of British Columbia where he also completed specialty training and full qualifications in Psychiatry. He began his career working to help individuals struggling with mental illnesses and addiction in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and also created specialized programs and services for people with Eating Disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Dr. Goldner was appointed the Director of British Columbia’s Provincial Eating Disorder Programs and established a province-wide network of treatment services while instituting a clinical research program to advance the outcomes of treatment interventions. After working to improve the design and quality of treatment services for people with Eating Disorders in British Columbia, in other Canadian provinces and other countries, Dr. Goldner expanded his efforts to address the full spectrum of mental health and addiction problems and developed a research unit designed to provide research support to governments in their efforts to advance the quality of mental health and addiction services.
Before joining the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, Dr. Goldner was on faculty at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine for 20 years, where he was a very active educator and researcher. He was the Director of Undergraduate Education for the Department of Psychiatry and he founded and headed the Division of Mental Health Policy & Services and the Mental Health Evaluation & Community Consultation Unit (MHECCU). Dr. Goldner continues to hold a faculty appointment at the University of British Columbia where he is an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Goldner directed a national Research Training Program, entitled ‘Research in Addiction & Mental Health Policy & Services’ that was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and trained 40 new doctoral and post-doctoral students to conduct high quality research in order to advance the healthcare system’s approach to mental illness and addiction.
Dr. Goldner has received a number of awards for his scholarly work and teaching and he has served on various Boards of Directors. Currently he is the Chair of the Science Advisory Committee of the Mental Health Commission of Canada and is also the Scientific Lead of the Mental Health Commission’s Knowledge Exchange Centre. When he joined the Faculty of Health Sciences at SFU, Dr. Goldner founded the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health & Addiction (CARMHA), an internationally renowned research centre that pursues the creation of knowledge and promotes the implementation of evidence-based policies and practices. In the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Goldner is Director of Clinical Relations, a \ position that bridges research and educational activities with clinical and health service delivery in Canadian health authorities, hospital programs and community agencies.
Research Interests
Dr. Goldner’s research activities are focused toward the advancement of policies and services to address mental health and substance use at the population level. He has worked closely with government ministries and national organizations, particularly with the Ministry of Health in British Columbia and the Mental Health Commission of Canada, to provide research information that can support evidence-based decision making and assist in the implementation of improved system of service delivery. Dr. Goldner has led a number of projects that utilized province-wide data to measure and improve the quality of service delivery in British Columbia. He has also used national and international data to address research questions related to mental health and addiction services and policy. Particular areas of research focus include: effective integration of mental health services into primary health care delivery; enhancements to workplace policies and practices that promote mental health and prevent psychological problems and harmful substance use; effective knowledge translation and implementation practices.
Teaching Interests
Dr. Goldner’s teaching activities have addressed a wide range of topics related to mental health and addiction, ranging from clinical and epidemiological issues to population and public health concerns. He is interested in helping students to integrate information from a wide variety of disciplines that can advance the quality and outcomes of interventions in Canada and other nations.
