Addictions Management Information System
What is AMIS?
Thunderbird Partnership Foundation implements the Addictions Management Information System (AMIS) database to collect reliable evidence of stories, experiences, and strengths of National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) and the National Youth Substance Abuse Program (NYSAP) treatment centres across Canada. AMIS data helps inform client care, highlight Indigenous needs, shows the strengths of NNADAP/NYSAP, and supports research plans over time.
AMIS was created in 2014 by Health Canada and the AMIS Working Group.
AMIS Expansion to Community Organizations
AMIS is expanding to include First Nation governed community organizations that have a strong working relationship with National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) and National Youth Solvent Abuse Program (NYSAP). This can include:- a community-based addiction program with no specific link to treatment centres with:
- A day program,
- An outpatient program, or
- A residential program, or
- A land-based program with or without a community based clinical program.
Resources for AMIS Users
AMIS User Group
Team members from Thunderbird, YSAC and eCentre are in attendance to assist and help users navigate concerns they may encounter. These virtual meeting sessions allow treatment centres to network and share ideas. Zoom meetings are held the 3rd Thursday of each month to provide new information, discuss issues or concerns with data management and AMIS. If you are interested please contact amis@thunderbirdpf.org to register to attend.
Community of Practice for AMIS Users
Assessments
Two valid, reliable and culturally sensitive outcome measures are collected in the AMIS database.
Native Wellness Assessment™
The AMIS includes the Native Wellness Assessment (NWA).
The Native Wellness Assessment™ (NWA) tool, launched in 2015, helps promote mental wellness through Indigenous culture and focuses on clients’ strengths. It is the first of its kind in the world!
The Native Wellness Assessment:
- Measures the impact of culture to Hope, Belonging, Meaning and Purpose
- Measures the connection to culture to demonstrate the difference culture makes in mental wellness
The NWA tool is available:
- through AMIS to organizations who have interest in measuring wellness from a cultural and strength-based approach,
- through NNADAP/NYSAP Treatment Centres across Canada, and
- on our website here
The NWA™ tool measures the effects of cultural interventions on a client’s wellness; proving something First Nations people have known a long time – culture is the key to restoring and maintaining wellness. The Indigenous approach to wellness is wholistic in nature; it takes the whole person into account involving their mind, body, spirit, family, and community.
DUSI (Drug Use Screening Inventory)
The DUSI-R is an addictions and mental health assessment tool that reflects if residential treatment is the best fit for a client. The DUSI is:
- culturally relevant
- includes a trauma scale to help workers better evaluate and assess their First Nations clients.
Growing the Team
Thunderbird has expanded its AMIS team to include an Addictions Program Supervisor and two Addictions Program Coordinators, for building capacity to support AMIS users. The team:
- plans, coordinates, and supports the addictions management database
- is the dedicated contact for the NNADAP and NYSAP treatment centres and stakeholders
- establishes good working relationships with treatment centres, community partners, and other regional and national stakeholders to help achieve the goals in data collection
To learn more please contact us at amis@thunderbirdpf.org
AMIS History and Background
AMIS was created when Indigenous treatment centres realized they needed a more modern data system to improve how they collect, analyze and report data that is truly representative of indigenous experiences and needs.
Early Days
National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) Treatment Centres said the Substance Abuse Information System (SAIS) that they were still using, was out of date and no longer met their needs. It no longer was able to provide the kind of analytics treatment centres needed in order to provide the best client care.
First Upgrade
The first upgrade was piloted in a few treatment centres in 2010-2011. Health Canada and the AMIS Working Group improved the practical needs of the new system and hired a vendor to take on the work.
AMIS System
eCenter Research Inc., a Canadian corporation, was the successful vendor in 2012. They focus on software as a service for mental health and addictions treatment providers in Canada, the United States, and abroad. eCenter Research also has experience in creating data systems solutions with First Nations communities.
With advice and guidance from the AMIS Working Group and Secretariat, eCenter Research began its work on this three-stage project:
- The first stage, which began in February 2012, involved planning and developing the pilot solution/application based on the practical needs.
- The second stage, completed in 2013, saw use of the pilot solution in seven treatment centres. This included training users, evaluating training, and refining the pilot.
- The third stage was the full deployment of AMIS to all the NNADAP and NYSAP Treatment Centres. This was completed in April 2014.
The AMIS Working Group
The AMIS Working Group included members from:
- Treatment Centres,
- First Nations communities,
- Thunderbird Partnership Foundation
- Youth Solvent Addictions Committee (YSAC), and
- Health Canada’s First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB).
AMIS FAQ
The AMIS allows treatment centre staff to access client data quickly, track information, and meet multiple reporting requirements in a more streamlined way. The resulting information helps you to better understand and demonstrate each client’s need. This in turn allows you to adjust client services, update policies and support accreditation efforts.
Yes. Efforts were made from the beginning stages of this project to ensure that AMIS would be in line with the First Nation’s Principles of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP).
This means treatment centres and communities will own and have full control over how their data is used and who can access their data. The AMIS database collects information from Drug Use Screening Inventory–Revised (DUSI-R) and NWA ™ assessment tools. The DUSI-R is a screening and assessment tool that measures the severity of substance use and mental health across various areas and domains.
The AMIS is structured in a way that allows evolution of the database in order to meet ongoing needs as they surface over time.
Yes, your data is secure. eCenter Research and iWeb (server host) have undergone extensive inspection by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) to ensure that the facility and servers meet the security requirements necessary to store personal information.
eCenter meets or exceeds the requirements of, and adheres to,Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). Both server host organizations for this project are located in Ontario and have also confirmed that they meet or exceed the requirements within Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA 2004).
The potential for breach of privacy is extremely low and there are clear protocols in place:
- eCenter is responsible for notifying staff users/centres of any breach in security related to server protection and data protection.
- eCenter Research uses specialized techniques, including transparent encryption of data which means that in the unlikely event of server theft and/or malicious unauthorized access to client data, it is not possible for anyone to read the content of the database.
Yes, eCenter Research has developed online training modules that guide you through:
- setting up AMIS at your treatment centre
- providing administrative access
- entering and managing client records
- generating reports
You will have access to a user manual plus online and live support through eCenter Research which includes:
- Weekly online drop in support and training webinars
- Phone, email, chat, remote control, and online support
- Monitoring usage and follow up to ensure resolution of issues
These training modules will be permanently available for use and can become a routine part of your staff orientation plan if you choose to use it that way.
No it is not mandatory to use the AMIS. However, the use of AMIS will improve your work efficiency, help track trends and statistics and contribute to accurate information about local, regional, and national trends.
Yes, AMIS is available in French.
If you are experiencing slow connection or page load speeds, please run the following tests in the order listed:
- Using a laptop computer that is connected by Wi-Fi (wireless connection) to your network, open your internet browser, go to speedtest.net and click on the “begin test” button. If your speeds are less than 5mbps download and 1mbps upload, continue and run the next test.
- Using a computer that is connected by wire to your network (an ethernet cable is usually a thick blue or grey cable). Repeat the same steps as above. Your download speed should be 5mbps (megabits per second) or greater and your upload speed should be 1mbps or greater.
If your WIFI test speeds are less than 5mbps download and 1mbps upload but you’re getting higher speeds (greater than 5mbps download) from the wired test speeds, you may have a wireless router that cannot handle the speed or number of connections/bandwidths needed when all staff are accessing the Wi-Fi network.
If you are not getting a minimum download speed of 5mbps and minimum upload speed of 1mbps with either your wireless or wired computer connection to the internet, your internet service provider may be throttling your access speed/bandwidth and as a result you are not receiving high speed internet. Contact your internet provider to discuss.
More information can be found under “the basics” sections within the “support” section: https://support.speedtest.net/hc/en-us.
- For more information on AMIS, please contact us at amis@thunderbirdpf.org