Research Projects

Cheque Day Study (The Impact of Alternative Social Assistance on Drug Related Harm, or TASA)

Status: Completed

Project Lead: Lindsey Richardson

Prior research identifies substantial increases in drug use and drug-related harm as well as challenges to effective service provision associated with monthly social assistance payments.

This study was a randomized controlled trial examining whether altering the timing of social assistance disbursement will reduce these harms. This study randomized participants for 26-weeks to one of three study arms where individuals receive social assistance on the regular monthly schedule (control) or one of two alternative arrangements that vary the timing and frequency of income assistance receipt (interventions). The interventions are being evaluated for their impact on drug use patterns and related harms.