Christine Werk

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.

Degrees

PhD, Concordia University, 2006
MA, Concordia University, 2002
BSc, University of Northern British Columbia, 2000

Publications

Clarren, S., Halliwell, C.I., Werk, C.M., Sebaldt, R.J., Petri, A., Lilley, C., & Cook. J. (2015). Consistent Collection and Reporting of FASD Data from Across Canada: A Feasibility Study. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology. Incorporating Fetal Alcohol Research, 22(3), e211-e227.

Werk, C.M., Cui, X., & Tough, S. (2013). Health of young Aboriginal children living off reserve. Pimatisiwin, 11(2), 197-213.

Werk, C.M., Tough, S., & Cui, X. (2013). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder among young Aboriginal children living off reserve. First Peoples Child & Family Review, 8(1), 7-16.

Werk, C.M., Twilley, L., & Cui, X. (2016). A profile of young Albertans with offences. Edmonton, AB: PolicyWise for Children and Families, Child and Youth Data Laboratory, Edmonton, Alberta.

Werk, C.M., and Chapman, C.A. (2003). Long-term potentiation of polysynaptic responses in layer V of the sensorimotor cortex induced by theta-patterned tetanization in the awake rat. Cerebral Cortex, 13, 500-507.