mental health

strengthening capacity to support indigenous youth mental health services

indigenous youth mental health

july 18, 2024 – thunder bay, ont.

a national initiative, the access open minds indigenous youth mental health and wellness network, to enhance indigenous youth mental health services, co-led by researchers from 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 and mcgill university, has received $1.45 million from the canadian institutes of health research (cihr).

chris mushquashlakehead’s dr. christopher mushquash, canada research chair in indigenous mental health and addiction, professor in the department of psychology, vice president research at the thunder bay regional health sciences centre and chief scientist, thunder bay regional health research institute, and mcgill’s dr. srividya iyer, tier 1 canada research chair in youth, mental health, and learning health systems and professor in the department of psychiatry, are leading the five-year project. this initiative will strengthen capacity amongst indigenous communities and integrated youth services (iys) to provide culturally affirming, high quality and responsive mental health services for indigenous youth.

srividya iyerit brings together youth, elders, family members, researchers, communities and leading indigenous organizations, including the thunderbird partnership foundation under the leadership of dr. carol hopkins and the first peoples wellness circle under the leadership of dr. brenda restoule. dilico anishinabek family care is also a partner on the project.

"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," mushquash says.

indigenous youth in canada have experienced significant population growth, accompanied by growing concerns about their mental health and wellbeing. adverse childhood experiences, influenced by historical and systemic factors such as intergenerational trauma, cultural disconnection, poverty and socioeconomic disadvantage, disproportionately affect indigenous youth. limited access to health services, culturally inappropriate care and geographical barriers further exacerbate these challenges.

“we have an opportunity to listen to indigenous youth and work with them to address mental health inequities by advancing practices that centre indigenous knowledge, values and traditions in mental health and wellness services,” iyer emphasizes.

over the next five years, the interdisciplinary research team will focus on relationship building and the development of service practices, tools, interventions and training programs to shape a learning health system that will inform mental health and wellness service delivery for indigenous youth across canada. it will also help build capacity for future leaders in indigenous communities.

“by enabling primary care providers, communities, families and youth with the tools and knowledge on how to navigate the health system, we will strengthen the capacity within indigenous communities to ensure that youth-focused mental health resources are available to them,” mushquash explains.

the government of canada recently invested $59 million in the integrated youth services network of networks (iys-net) to strengthen and expand iys across canada. an innovative approach to youth-focused mental health, iys provides youth with equitable access to a range of services and supports that contribute to health. this includes mental health and substance use services, alongside primary care, peer support, work and study supports, and more. associate professor dr. aislin mushquash, adjunct professor dr. elaine toombs, and postdoctoral fellow dr. carolyn melro from 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜  are also members of this network.

mushquash concludes, “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.”

in 2023/24, 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 received almost $2.5 million in assistance from the research support fund to support the indirect costs of research, which includes costs for supporting the management of intellectual property, research and administration, ethics and regulatory compliance, research resources, research facilities, and research security.

dementia support group celebrates key milestone

ndwg receives community engaged research awardby: julio heleno gomez

when bill heibein was first diagnosed with early-onset alzheimer's he was told that within five years his condition would worsen and he could expect to end up in a nursing home. more than two decades later he continues to lead an active and fulfilling life, playing music and keeping busy on his farm.

“in many respects i have credited horses with saving me,” the affable 83-year-old declares. “i don't consider myself special. anybody could've done it had they the opportunity. having a farm has made a gigantic difference to me.”

along with defying daunting odds, bill is also one of the original members of the north west dementia working group (nwdwg). the independent grassroots advocacy group, the first in canada for people living with dementia, was formed thanks to 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 researcher dr. elaine wiersma.

“it's about giving voice to people living with dementia, maintaining their rights, living well, free from discrimination,” explains dr. nisha sutherland, the group's co-facilitator.

started 10 years ago, nwdwg brought people living with dementia and their care partners together to discuss self-care. from that modest beginning, friendships were formed and the desire to do more was born.

“they wanted to continue being an advocacy group, provide activities for people living with dementia, be a political advocate for people living with dementia,” explains sutherland, who's been with the group for eight years and is associate professor in lakehead's school of nursing. “if there are dementia strategies or local, provincial policy issues then we address them.”

the latest project, the building capacity project, examined community resources, such as libraries, to make sure they're inclusive for people living with dementia.

in recognition of these initiatives, last year wiersma, sutherland and the nwdwg received lakehead's community engaged research award.

with 15-20 attendees at their monthly meetings and large sunday gatherings at the dementia cafe, the nwdwg is firmly established and has plenty to celebrate. over the years they have hosted conferences and visiting scholars, provided presentations on challenging the stigma of dementia, and have been an integral element in projects supported by the centre for education and research on aging & health (cerah).

at its core, though, the essence of nwdwg is companionship, of spending time with people on a similar journey. for sue doughty-smith, introduction to the group came at exactly the right time. her husband was diagnosed with alzheimer's in late 2020, during the covid lockdown.

“i was in a really bad state,” doughty-smith confesses. “i thought my world was turned upside down. you just felt you have nowhere to turn to and then there is this group. so when you meet people whose lives are sort of the same, but we're on different steps in our journey, it was wonderful to be with them. you already have empathy for each other, you get to know each other really well and you become better connected. it's a really good group that my husband and i both belong to.”

along with the camaraderie and frequent get-togethers, doughty-smith praises nwdwg participants as people willing to roll up their sleeves to get things done.

“i like it because it's real work,” she says. “sometimes you talk about things you wish would happen. but this group, once you start looking at things that we can do, you just get going and everybody pools their resources to work on it.”

the latest example is dementia gardens: a place to grow. an initiative with cerah, in partnership with community groups such as chartwell retirement homes, it's in the fundraising stage right now. but the concept is exciting, says sutherland.

“people living with dementia and their families can come outside and grow native gardens that encourage pollinators, and this can be respite for the family, for 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to learn about engaging with people living with dementia and to conduct research,” she says, adding that they hope to start digging this summer.

this is the kind of effort that makes the group so special, says bill. from the beginning the focus was on the person living with dementia and what they wanted to see done that would be best for them.

“the approach was not from the top down,” he says. “the approach was from the bottom up. 'what do you think will be beneficial to you?' that was the big difference in the approaches.”

when his decline became noticeable in 1998 and he was given dire scenarios, bill retired from his position at a major thunder bay accounting firm to assist his wife full-time at their quarter horse farm near kakabeka falls, regularly baling hay and chopping wood. while he has been on medication, his miraculous ability to keep his condition at bay has drawn the interest of researchers at the university of british columbia, waterloo, and lakehead. the latest batch of mri and ct scans show his decline is no more significant than normal aging.

what's his secret?

the answer: strenuous physical activity on a 150-acre property and engaging key parts of the brain by performing in a band on bass guitar.

“the doctors said to me they don't know for sure what i'm doing, but whatever it is don't stop,” bill says. “just by pure chance i'm doing the things i should be doing, what everybody says that someone living with dementia should be doing.”

pictured: bill mercereau, left, along with bailey vandorp, a then-master of public health student, and bill heibein accept the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 community engaged research award on behalf of the north west dementia working group.

ontario invests in innovative research and capacity-building projects at lakehead

march 21, 2024 – thunder bay, ont.

阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 researchers have received over $2.1 million from the government of ontario to advance innovative research inpeter hollings mining and mental health.

dr. peter hollings and dr. noah phillips from the department of geology are receiving $2 million from the ministry of colleges and universities ontario research fund – research excellence program to develop new models that will enrich mineral exploration in northern ontario.

dr. hollings is the nohfc industrial research chair in mineral exploration and director of lakehead’s centre of excellence for sustainable mining and exploration. dr. phillips is an assistant professor in geology.

“noah and i are really excited to be starting this project,” dr. hollings said. “the funding will allow us to continue to develop mineral deposit research at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 , which in turn will establish us as an essential partner in the search for ontario’s critical minerals and the training of the next generation of geoscientists.”

this research will study the geological processes leading to the formation of valuable mineral deposits in northern ontario. it will develop novel models for industry partners to seek new deposits that will be developed into mines.

with this project the researchers are focusing on two themes – one is nickel-copper-platinum and the other is gold.

the team will work on a range of sites where the researchers will develop models that can be applied to create more efficient exploration in canada.

noah phillips

“we will develop an innovative research hub at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 that will train a diverse group of highly qualified people in a wide range of traditional and state of the art techniques,” dr. hollings said.

this group of highly qualified people will include approximately 30 graduate 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and post-doctoral fellows.

collaborators include dr. mike hamilton, university of toronto; dr. wouter bleeker and dr. jennifer smith, both from the geological survey of canada; and dr. andreas kronenberg from texas a&m university. kaitlin richard from science north is the youth outreach collaborator.

industrial collaborators include goldshore resources inc., wesdome gold mines ltd., romios gold resources inc., impala canada ltd., generation mining, clean air metals inc., and enersoft inc.

“combined with undergraduate research projects, this will help reverse the current trend of declining numbers of graduate 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 working on mineral deposit studies in canada,” dr. hollings said.

dr. aislin mushquash, associate professor in the department of psychology, is receiving an early researcher award (era). this $140,000 grant, supplemented by an additional $50,000 from the university, will support research aimed at supporting youth mental health.

“while we can’t rid life of stress or stressful situations, we can enhance individuals’ abilities to cope with the stressors they face in order to have a positive impact on their wellbeing and health,” she explains.

the five-year era, designed to bolster research capacity among emerging scholars, will help dr. mushquash build a team of graduate and undergraduate student researchers to examine youth and emerging adult stressors, coping mechanisms and outcomes and evaluate innovative interventions to support coping.

"this award not only supports our research endeavors but also provides crucial support for 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 ," adds dr. mushquash. "it allows us to provide some funding to 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to offset the costs they incur during their education and gives access to exciting training opportunities that may not have otherwise existed.”

aislin mushquash is pictured with her research groupdr. mushquash emphasizes the importance of involving student researchers in the research process. "the earlier we can get 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 involved, the more passionate they'll become about the research process," she says. "by engaging student researchers in developing research objectives, data collection and analysis, and knowledge translation activities, we are not only building their skills but also ensuring the sustainability of future projects and the field of mental health research."

mushquash would also like to explore a multidisciplinary team approach that will facilitate collaboration across faculties, creating opportunities for innovative solutions to mental health challenges.

“my hope is to build health-related research capacity in northwestern ontario, producing future generations of researchers and clinician-researchers that will carry on this important work.”

“the real-world impact of the research being conducted at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 is only strengthened by these awards, and speaks to our commitment to research and innovation,” stated dr. andrew p. dean, vice-president, research and innovation. “thank you to the government of ontario for recognizing the exceptional work that is being undertaken at lakehead.”

student health and wellness launches new resources to support mental health

we are all experiencing a wide range of emotions as we near the fall semester- nervous, excited, anxious and everything in between. some of our 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 will struggle with their mental health as they adjust to our new modes of delivery and the ever-changing public health guidelines that will exist on our campuses. student health and wellness wants to be proactive in encouraging 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to access support and we invite all lakehead staff and faculty to work with us in reducing the stigma surrounding mental health concerns. these resources are simple to use but can lead to a culture on campus where 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 seek help when it is needed. in addition to the following statements generated for staff and faculty members to consider using, student health and wellness will continue to offer monthly 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 in distress training sessions.

email signature

email signatures are regularly used to communicate information. using your email signature to communicate your working hours can help to support your own work-life balance and create realistic expectations of response time for 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 .  linking to the how to ask for help guide ensures that even if you do not immediately respond- 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 are still aware of the support and resources available to them and are encouraged to access them when needed. 

suggested signature line:

please note my work hours: i check and respond to emails during my working hours of monday to friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. i will not regularly see or respond to emails outside of these hours.

are you ok? our how to ask for help at lakehead guide was made for you.

need to talk to someone right now?  good 2 talk is a free, confidential 24/7 post-secondary student helpline. call 1-866-925-5454 or text good2talkon to 686868. 

mental health syllabi statement

a statement in the syllabus can send a positive signal of support for 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 ' learning and well-being by including recommendations and encouragement for 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to take care of themselves and seek help when they need it.  the statement might also be used to encourage classroom conversations about the stigma that keeps 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 from getting professional help.

suggested statement:

as a university student, you may sometimes experience mental health concerns or stressful events that interfere with your academic performance and negatively impact your daily activities. 

all of us can benefit from support during times of struggle. if you or anyone you know experiences academic stress, difficult life events or feelings of anxiety or depression, student health and wellness is here to help. their services are free for lakehead 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and appointments are available. you can learn more about confidential mental health services available on and off campus at lakeheadu.ca/shw

remember that getting help is a smart and courageous thing to do- for yourself, for those you care about, and for those who care about you.  asking for support sooner rather than later is almost always helpful.

you could also choose to include this slide with the statement in your lecture. student health and wellness can also provide a short presentation about the wellness services on campus.

we would be interested in knowing whether you use the signature or statement (or a modified version).  if you have any questions, feedback, or otherwise would like to suggest modifications, feel free to contact lindsey wachter, health and wellness promoter, activities.shcc@lakeheadu.ca.

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