Understanding and acceptance grow where people feel safe and heard. Over the past two days, the 2024 National Summit on Indigenous Mental Wellness brought together First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, organizations and leaders, as well as service providers and academics to discuss mental wellness. The event highlighted the importance of culture, community, healing and youth leadership in improving Indigenous mental wellness. A shared goal of this summit was to improve the availability, accessibility, quality and effectiveness of mental wellness services for Indigenous Peoples.
The summit provides a foundation of innovation, grassroots success, and strength in addressing mental wellness challenges directly. The Minister of Indigenous Services, Patty Hajdu, and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Ya'ara Saks, attended the summit and witnessed the constructive dialogues and collaborative Indigenous-led solutions that are happening in communities all across the country.
The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of Indigenous-led approaches to mental wellness that are based on culture and community and address the impacts of colonization and inequities in the social determinants of health. Since 2015, the federal government has supported approaches that are Indigenous-led and flexible to meet the mental wellness needs of Indigenous communities, but work remains. This includes culturally-relevant community-based mental wellness promotion, on-the-land initiatives, suicide prevention, life promotion, crisis response, and substance use treatment and prevention services in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.
The summit opened with a powerful keynote address that emphasized the importance of translating Indigenous knowledge into action for mental wellness. Participants engaged in a series of panels and discussions that highlighted the integration of traditional healing practices, innovative therapeutic approaches, and the vital role of cultural safety in addressing systemic racism within mental health systems.
Over the course of two days, attendees participated in various sessions to share knowledge on a variety of initiatives and approaches to mental wellness for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. One key theme of the event was Indigenous-led knowledge translation and the importance of culture and community in research and data.
Another key theme of the summit was Indigenous youth mental wellness. Young people are leaders of today and tomorrow, and it is incumbent on all of us to lift these voices up. Indigenous youth leaders from We Matter and Youth Wellness Hubs led a youth panel where young leaders were encouraged to share their personal experiences and perspectives.
Concurrent sessions focused on Métis mental wellness, showcasing community-driven programs that reflect the distinct needs of Métis populations, while discussions on Inuit mental wellness addressed culturally relevant strategies for healing and resilience.
The 2024 National Summit on Indigenous Mental Wellness provided a collaborative platform for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to exchange insights and tools to improve mental wellness. By focusing on culture, community, and youth leadership, the summit underscored the significance of Indigenous-led solutions. Just as the Government of Canada remains committed to supporting these initiatives, the summit serves as a catalyst for ongoing dialogue and action, paving the way for a more inclusive mental health system and promoting hope and healing for future generations.
