New Ontario Brain Institute publication reveals how community-led evaluation can transform brain health care

Collaboration with the Evaluation Centre for Complex Health Interventions presents innovative framework for integrating community and clinical approaches to care

TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2025 /CNW/ - A forward-thinking open access book published by Springer Nature highlights the critical role of community organizations in delivering brain health care -- and the power of evaluation to validate and expand their impact. A New Blueprint for Brain Health: How Community-Led Evaluations will Construct a Healthier Future emerges from a unique collaboration between the Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) and the Evaluation Centre for Complex Health Interventions.

Edited by Sanjeev Sridharan (University of Hawai'i at Mānoa), Jordan Antflick and Kaela Scott (OBI), and April Nakaima (The Evaluation Centre for Complex Health Interventions), the book addresses a pressing global question: With over 1 in 3 people worldwide affected by neurological and mental health conditions, how can we create sustainable, equitable, and person-centered brain health care?

According to the editors and contributors, the answer lies in elevating community-based solutions and building evaluation capacity to establish their value alongside traditional clinical approach. The book draws inspiration from global examples of community-led interventions, including OBI's GEEK (Growing Expertise in Evaluation and Knowledge Translation) program, which has supported over twenty community-led brain health initiatives across Ontario since 2019.

"Community organizations are essential partners in creating a comprehensive, person-centered brain health ecosystem," said Jordan Antflick, OBI's Head of Integrated Discovery. "By strengthening evaluation capacity, we are addressing historical asymmetries in evidence production and work toward an integrated care approach that recognizes both clinical expertise and community wisdom."

The book positions evaluation itself as a form of intervention that embeds community care within an ecology of solutions for brain health.

"One solution does not fit all," states Sanjeev Sridharan, Professor of Health Policy Evaluation at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. "Evaluation helps answer the essential questions: What works for whom? And how do we weave together community systems and clinical expertise into coherent, integrated responses?"

A New Blueprint for Brain Health explores key themes, including:

• The global brain health crisis and the need for an "ecology of solutions" to move beyond the one-size-fits-all approach
• The vital role of community organizations in providing culturally sensitive and accessible care services that complement clinical approach
• How investing in evaluation capacity building in resource-constrained community settings drives improvement in health outcomes
• Indigenous perspectives on evidence and epistemology in brain health as examples of the integration of diverse types of evidence
• Practical case studies including Dancing with Parkinson's and programs serving newcomer refugees and people with developmental disabilities
• Frameworks for integrating community and clinical approaches to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

The book features expert contributions from researchers and practitioners from multiple countries, creating a space for international dialogue on evaluation principles and community-led brain health solutions.

"Ontario's bright researchers are not only driving life-changing discoveries in our key sectors, but also putting our province on the global stage of innovation," said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. "Our government is proud to support the Ontario Brain Institute and commend their newest international publication that highlights the vital role that communities play in delivering connected, dynamic brain health care."

As an open access publication, A New Blueprint for Brain Health is freely available to researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community organizations worldwide, removing financial barriers to accessing this critical knowledge. It speaks to readers who are working to improve care today while investing in research that builds evidence for future generations.

This work moves health care thinking beyond a narrow focus on clinical settings to recognize the full continuum of care. A New Blueprint for Brain Health showcases how combining community interventions with biomedical and scientific approaches can lead to sustainable, integrated, and equitable solutions, outlining how an evaluation-driven approach makes this possible.

For more information, visit: https://link.springer.com/book/9783032038326

About the Ontario Brain Institute

The Ontario Brain Institute is a provincially funded, not-for-profit organization that accelerates discovery and innovation, benefiting both patients and the economy. Our collaborative 'team science' approach promotes brain research, commercialization, and care by connecting researchers, clinicians, industry, patients, and their advocates to improve the lives of those living with brain disorders.

About the Evaluation Centre for Complex Health Interventions

The Evaluation Centre for Complex Health Interventions (TECCHI) supports the development and implementation of evaluations for complex health interventions, building capacity in evaluation practice and contributing to the evidence base for effective health care delivery.

SOURCE Ontario Brain Institute

CONTACTS: Narem Karakoyun, Communications Specialist (Ontario Brain Institute): [email protected], 416-262-1568 | Allison Garber (Consultant): [email protected], 902-221-5254