Objective
CREST.BD is a consortium of researchers, clinicians, and consumers dedicated to developing knowledge about the role of psychosocial factor in bipolar disorder (BD) (http://www.crestbd.ca). The international team includes researchers from various health disciplines (e.g. psychology, psychiatry, nursing, mental health advocacy) with expertise in various orientations (e.g. quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods, clinical, health service and policy research, knowledge translation, KT). CREST.BD foster’s ‘Community Based Research’, whereby individuals with BD are active participants in the research process.

Methods
CREST.BD takes a participatory approach, involving community members in processes such as: indentifying research areas, choosing methodologies, collecting data, interpreting findings and KT. The team uses a variety of KT techniques, e.g., education events, publications and annual conferences and community consultation days. In 2008, community members (N = 60) participating in the annual consultation day identified their priorities for research; stigma was at the top of their agenda. In response, our 2009 consultation day focused upon this issue.

Results
On the basis of our consultation exercises, CREST.BD submitted two significant grant applications in 2009, one for a multisite, mixed methods study of quality of life (QoL) and stigma in BD and another for KT funding to translate knowledge from the team’s program of research into QoL.

Conclusions
Participatory, CBR approaches in BD are long overdue and make good ethical sense. Furthermore, they can also make good research sense. CREST.BD research projects have experienced rapid recruitment and high retention, in part because participants have a vested interest in the research questions and outcomes.