CRISM is a national network of researchers, service providers, policy makers, and people with lived experience of substance use. Its main goal is to translate evidence-based interventions into clinical practice, community prevention, harm reduction, and health system improvements. The aim is to support the creation of more effective, personalized, and adoptable programs and services.

Substance use disorders are pressing and complex health issues. Effective interventions require evidence-based approaches, an understanding of biological, psychosocial, and social factors, and recognition of the influence of cultural, societal, and policy contexts. While many intervention modalities have proven results, they are not yet widely implemented.

To address these translation and implementation gaps, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), through its Institute for Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Addiction (INMHA), developed the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Matters (CRISM) (previously known as the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse). CRISM was designed to facilitate communication and collaboration across the pillars of addiction service providers, researchers, policy-makers, patients, and people who use substances. CRISM is a network that consists of five regional teams (referred to as Nodes), located in BC, the Prairies, Ontario, Québec, and the Atlantic region.