Join the PRIME Community
Mental health matters for families and we want to hear from you! Complete our 3-minute community survey to become a knowledge partner with PRIME, with upcoming opportunities to participate in focus groups, advisory councils, small grant opportunities and more. Learn more about PRIME by visiting primetheme.ca.
What is PRIME?
PRIME is dedicated to developing innovative mental health programs for children, youth, and families in Manitoba and beyond. Our theme brings together diverse voices from families, community providers, practitioners, and policy makers to cultivate knowledge on the advancement of mental health equity in a sustainable way.
In the short-term, we are connecting with our communities to identify key priorities for family mental health in Manitoba. We will also be delivering app-based services to prevent and address family mental health problems, in partnership with community organizations. Over the next few years, we will be promoting community and trainee-led research initiatives from a lens of self-determination. The long-term goal of PRIME is to prevent and improve the impact of mental illness for the next generation.
Who We Are
Lead Investigators
Dr. Mandy Archibald is a nurse-researcher, artist, Associate Professor at the University of Manitoba, and a Senior Research Fellow with Flinders University in South Australia. Dr. Archibald earned her PhD in nursing from the University of Alberta before completing a 3-year CIHR-funded postdoctoral fellowship in South Australia. As an applied research methodologist, she develops and applies technological and arts-based innovations to promote family involvement in child health research and care using mixed methods approaches. She is also a CIHR Sickkids New Investigator, Research Manitoba New Investigator, and Research Scientist with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba.
Dr. Leslie E. Roos is a clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba, with appointments in Psychology and Pediatrics. She also holds a CIHR Chair in Implementation Science for Child and Youth Health and Human Development. Her program of research aims to prevent the intergenerational transmission of stress-linked health inequities by developing scalable programs to promote family mental health and supportive relationships. Dr. Roos completed her clinical residency at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and received her PhD from the University of Oregon. She is also a DIVERT Mental Health Fellow, a CIHR-IHDCYH & Research Manitoba New Investigator, and a Research Scientist with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba.
PRIME Coordinator
Nadine Ahmed completed her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan in 2024. She recently relocated to Winnipeg to take on the role of Research Coordinator at PRIME. In this position, she supports research focused on child and family mental health, parenting, and community-based interventions. Nadine hopes to pursue a Master’s and Ph.D. in School Psychology at the University of Manitoba. Her research interests include child and family well-being, immigrant and newcomer mental health, and stress and coping in youth. She is particularly passionate about breaking the stigma surrounding mental health in immigrant and newcomer communities and advancing culturally responsive approaches to care in both school and clinical settings.
Trainee Leads
Sydney Andersen was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She completed her Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Psychology and is currently a PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Manitoba. Her research interests center around Indigenous child and family well-being.
Nicole Tongol is a second-generation immigrant born in Canada and raised by two proud Filipino parents. She is currently a Clinical Psychology PhD student in the Hearts & Minds Lab at the University of Manitoba. Her research interests primarily surround family mental health from a system perspective, barriers to well-being and service access for newcomer and immigrant, parents, and family/parenting interventions.
Parent Partner
Ashley Pharazyn is a Parent Partner and Family Engagement Lead. She has a general interest in health and well-being as well as a deep interest in developing mental health support programs for parents. After being a participant in a Hearts and Mind’s program four years ago, she saw the life-changing value in this style of resource and has been in a number of participant-supporting roles over the last three years. Ashley helps cultivate an accessible, inclusive, and supportive community for parents both during and post-programs.
Communications Coordinator
Emma Papoff recently graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in psychology. She has been a research assistant with PRIME since June 2024 and became the team’s Communications Coordinator in 2025. In this role, she leads knowledge translation efforts to make research more accessible for members of the community. Emma hopes to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology and has research interests in family mental health and mental health service accessibility.
PRIME Research Projects
Community Survey
We are bringing together a community of Manitobans who care about improving mental health for children, youth, and families to help us understand how eHealth resources can help or hinder family wellness. The PRIME community survey helps us connect with people who share this passion, including those from industry community organizations, government, academia, and the general community. By sharing knowledge and building partnerships across the province, we hope to enhance wellness for families in Manitoba and beyond. Participants can be involved with: (a) a long-term advisory council which will inform various mental health-related projects, and (b) a general interest group with interest in ongoing knowledge sharing activities.
PRIME X Community
PRIME X Community is a Manitoba-wide initiative designed to strengthen family mental health by empowering communities and students to co-create solutions that are both evidence-based and locally relevant.
Led by the PRIME Research Theme at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM), PRIME X connects community expertise with academic research to address mental health challenges faced by children, youth, and families, especially in underserved or underrepresented communities. It also links community organizations with students, creating opportunities for collaboration, learning, and impact.
Mental disorders affect 1 in 8 children and adolescents worldwide, yet far too many in Manitoba lack access to timely, culturally responsive care. PRIME X Community shifts the focus from academic-only research to collaborative, community-driven innovation that makes an immediate and lasting impact.
Through funding from the Children’s Hospital Foundation and RBC, the PRIME X Community initiative awarded six community grants and four student fellowships in 2025. These recipients received funding for one year to support projects and initiatives aimed at improving mental health in our community.
This year’s student fellowships partner students with the following host organizations: YMCA, Resilia Community Wellness Centre, Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, and the Canadian Mental Health Association. Similarly, this year’s community grants partner PRIME academics with these community organizations: Afro-Carribean Mentorship, Canadian Mental Health Association, Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba, Resilia Community Wellness Centre, and Pinaymootang First Nation Health Centre.
Applications for the 2026 awards will open in August. Please visit our website for more information.
Knowledge User Arts-Based Focus Groups
This study examines families’ experiences and priorities related to mental health and eHealth programs. We conducted 10 focus groups with participants including youth, parents and guardians, Indigenous community members, and newcomers—to explore mental health needs and perspectives on the use of technology for support. To facilitate deeper engagement, we integrated arts-based methods within discussions, enabling participants to express experiences and co-create visual representations of key insights.
Special thanks to the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba and Sobey’s for making this work possible.
Contact us
PRIME@umanitoba.ca Mandy.Archibald@umanitoba.ca Leslie.Roos@umanitoba.ca