That vision is being operationalized through the Waypoint Research Institute (WRI), led by Dr. Bernard Le Foll, Vice-President of Research & Academics and Chief Scientific Officer, and Dr. Christopher Canning, Director of Research & Academics. Under their leadership and supported by a growing team, Waypoint has reached a significant milestone: the establishment of a fully functioning clinical trials program.

For the first time, Waypoint now has three clinical trials underway — a major achievement for a specialty mental health hospital. These include a study on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), an outpatient study led by Dr. Barna Konkoly-Thege, and a trial exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) on patient and staff safety.

Waypoint’s inaugural clinical trial is examining the efficacy of accelerated deep TMS in supporting short-term and continuous smoking abstinence following treatment. “The launch of this trial is a cross-departmental effort,” said Dr. Canning. “We’re building capacity in conducting clinical research. This reflects the work of many teams coming together to build a strong foundation for successful study delivery.”

Dr. Konkoly-Thege’s study aims to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of Internal Family Systems therapy for adults with borderline personality disorder. He aims to examine whether this approach leads to meaningful improvements in an often underserved clinical population.

Alongside such traditional clinical research, Waypoint is also exploring how emerging technologies such as AI can be applied ethically and effectively in mental health care. AI research at Waypoint reflects the organization’s willingness to innovate — not for novelty’s sake, but to better understand how new tools might support clinicians, enhance decision-making and improve patient outcomes.

In parallel with all of this work, Waypoint continues to refine policies and processes that support increasingly complex studies. This growing infrastructure has already attracted attention from external sponsors, with discussions underway about future partnerships — a strong signal that the clinical trials program has momentum.

Serving as a backdrop to the WRI’s work is one of Waypoint’s defining research strengths: its commitment to patient-oriented research. The organization is increasingly recognized as a hub for meaningful patient engagement, where lived experience is treated on par with academic credentials. A notable example is a project involving patients from Waypoint’s high-secure forensic programs, who co-designed guidelines for patient involvement in research. Their contributions not only informed best practices, but also offered participants a sense of purpose and provided researchers with deeper insight into the realities of the forensic system.

“This isn’t a new conversation,” Dr. Canning said, crediting Waypoint’s leadership with fostering that prioritizes client and family input. “For years, patients have been calling for their voices to shape the mental health care system — from how they’re treated to the therapies they receive and the policies that shape their care.”

Waypoint is also investing in its internal talent through the Research and Scholarship Award Program, which supports staff to lead their own research projects generating insights directly tied to clinical practice and service delivery. “This is another example of the research institute enabling clinicians and teams to do their own research,” said Dr. Canning. “Through this program, we’re supporting clinical teams and programs to build capacity and contribute to evidence-informed care.”

Together, these efforts underscore Waypoint’s belief that research — when done collaboratively, ethically and with patients at the centre — is one of the most powerful tools for transforming mental health care.