Health leaders in Nova Scotia are calling for better mental health support for First Nations communities.
They say a shift is needed to ensure culturally safe and community-based care.
Several health professionals appeared before a legislative committee in Halifax on Thursday, including Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia Health Directors Committee co-chair Juliana Julian.
She says there are many gaps in care.
“I don’t even know where to start when it comes to barriers,” says Julian. “Trust would be a big one, language is another, trauma-informed, culturally safe.”
She was joined by members of Nova Scotia Health, IWK Health and the Office of Mental Health and Addictions.
“Our health data from the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Client Linkage Registry shows that mental health and addictions disorders are high among Mi’kmaq compared to Nova Scotians as a whole,” Julian told the health committee. “And the prevalence is increasing at a faster rate for our people.”
She says mental health care needs to be tailored to the needs of First Nations communities to improve access.
The executive director of Tajikeimɨk, a new organisation with a mandate to lead health transformation for Mi’kmaw communities, also joined Julian on the call.
Lindsay Peach says advocates want to see mental health care moved out of emergency rooms and into communities.
“It’s also about redesigning the way those services are built and delivered,” Peach says. “The same thing with government-funded health services. Really changing those services so they’re community led.”
She says a mobile crisis team could also provide support.
“It’s really important that the response is community-led,” Peach says. “A team that’s coming in that knows the community, knows the individuals and has that trusting relationship so they can support them in that crisis.”
Julian adds that there is often no follow-up after an A&E visit.
“My thoughts about it being beneficial come from the fact that a lot of community members go to the ER and are sent home, and there’s nobody there … to do wellness checks or anything like that.”
They want community-based care to be a mix of western medicine and traditional practices. Advocates say there should also be better representation of Indigenous people in health care, from emergency rooms to senior management.
Provincial health officials say they’re listening.
“It’s true. It’s not working,” says the executive director of the Office of Addictions and Mental Health.
“The safety is not there, the trust is not there,” says Francine Vezina. “These are things we have to continue to work on.”
She says all the ideas are possible, especially if they continue to work together.
