$1.45M to boost Indigenous youth mental health services

A national initiative to bolster Indigenous youth mental health services across Canada has secured $1.45 million in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

McGill psychiatry professor Srividya Iyer and Lakehead psychology professor Christopher Mushquash are leading this five-year project, the ACCESS Open Minds Indigenous Youth Mental Health and Wellness Network. The initiative will focus on enhancing the capacity of integrated youth services networks and Indigenous communities to deliver culturally affirming, high-quality mental health services for Indigenous youth.

The project unites youth, Elders, family members, researchers, communities and leading Indigenous organizations, such as the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, the First Peoples Wellness Circle and Dilico Anishinabek Family Care.

Centering Indigenous knowledge

Indigenous youth in Canada face significant mental health challenges due to historical and systemic factors, such as intergenerational trauma, cultural disconnect, elevated rates of poverty and limited access to health services. The project aims to mitigate these by advancing practices that incorporate Indigenous knowledge, values and traditions into mental health and wellness services.

“We have an opportunity to listen to Indigenous youth and work with them to address mental health inequities,” said Iyer, who is also Canada Research Chair in Youth, Mental Health and Learning Health Systems.

Over the next five years, the research team will develop service practices, tools, interventions and training programs to shape a learning health system that informs mental health and wellness service delivery for Indigenous youth across Canada.

“By centering Indigenous knowledge and practices, we aim to create a sustainable and culturally relevant mental health support system for Indigenous youth. This project is a testament to the power of collaboration and the wisdom of Indigenous communities and youth in addressing mental health challenges,” said Mushquash, who is also Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction.

This project is part of the larger $59 million investment by the Government of Canada in the Integrated Youth Services Network of Networks (IYS-Net), which aims to strengthen and expand IYS across the country. The IYS approach provides youth with equitable access to a range of services, including mental health and substance use services, primary care and peer support.

“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,” said Mushquash.