Canada is investing $1.45 million to improve mental health services for Indigenous youth through a new national initiative led by McGill University and Lakehead University. Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the ACCESS Open Minds Indigenous Youth Mental Health and Wellness Network will run for five years and aims to strengthen integrated youth services networks and Indigenous communities in delivering culturally relevant mental health care.
This project, spearheaded by McGill psychiatry professor Srividya Iyer and Lakehead psychology professor Christopher Mushquash, will focus on improving the capacity of existing services and incorporating Indigenous knowledge and traditions into mental health practices. It brings together a diverse group of stakeholders, including youth, Elders, family members, researchers, and leading Indigenous organizations such as the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, the First Peoples Wellness Circle, and Dilico Anishinabek Family Care.
Indigenous youth in Canada face substantial mental health challenges due to factors such as intergenerational trauma, cultural disconnection, high poverty rates, and limited access to health services. The initiative seeks to address these issues by developing practices and interventions that honor and integrate Indigenous values and knowledge.
Professor Iyer, also a Canada Research Chair in Youth, Mental Health and Learning Health Systems, emphasized the importance of listening to Indigenous youth and working collaboratively to tackle mental health disparities. “We have an opportunity to listen to Indigenous youth and work with them to address mental health inequities,” Iyer stated.
Over the course of the project, the team will develop service practices, tools, interventions, and training programs designed to create a learning health system that supports mental health and wellness for Indigenous youth nationwide.
Professor Mushquash, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, highlighted the project’s commitment to cultural relevance and sustainability. “By centring Indigenous knowledge and practices, we aim to create a sustainable and culturally relevant mental health support system for Indigenous youth,” he said. “This project is a testament to the power of collaboration and the wisdom of Indigenous communities and youth in addressing mental health challenges.”
This initiative is part of the broader $59 million investment by the Government of Canada in the Integrated Youth Services Network of Networks (IYS-Net), which seeks to enhance and expand youth services across the country. The IYS-Net approach aims to provide equitable access to various services, including mental health care, substance use support, primary care, and peer support for youth across Canada.
“Through the larger IYS-Net initiative, we have the opportunity to address mental health inequities, not just in Indigenous communities, but for youth across Canada,” Mushquash added.
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